Elderly termites are sent into battle to die first
Elderly termites are sent into battle to die first
Even the old are asked to make a final sacrifice for the colony.
With their supersized heads and deadly mandibles, termite soldiers are built for battle. Until their very last breath. (Photo: khazari/Shutterstock)
We’re always marveling at the complex and wondrously efficient social organization found in the insect kingdom.
Who wouldn’t want to model a democracy after ingenious ants that vote for their leaders by swapping spit? And we could learn a few agricultural tricks from termites.
But when the time comes for termites to put down their plows and go to war, they demonstrate possibly the coldest social imperative of all…