ナショナルジオグラフィックのインスタグラム(natgeo) - 11月20日 22時42分

Video by David Chancellor @chancellordavid | In northern Botswana finally the rains came—and with it, the termites.
Termite colonies are comprised of thousands of sterile workers and soldiers, and a queen and king. There are also multitudes of termites that are sexed, have wings, and play no part in the daily activities of the colony, such as gathering food or defending the nest; these are called alates and their role is to fly away from the mound, find a mate from another colony, and start their own new colony, becoming the next kings
and queens.
Heavy rains trigger the termite life cycle. Following a downpour, thousands of alates are released from the chambers where they have been kept and tended. They take to the air briefly. When they land, their wings fall off. Following pheromone trails from other alates, they find a mate and a place where the sand has been suitably softened by the rain, and they dig a hole and start breeding. They survive off the fat reserves in their bodies until their offspring are big enough to go out and start bringing food back to them. In this manner, they become the queen and king of their own new colony. This flight is a vital link in the nutrient cycle here. The termites themselves feed on the vast amounts of dead wood found, turning something that is difficult for many creatures to benefit from into a rich source of nutrition. To see more follow me @chancellordavid.

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