Volume 24, Issue 74, July - December, 2023

Autecology of Termite species in Barangay Pinatilan, Valencia City, Bukidnon, Philippines

Milven V Orevillo¹, Alma B Mohagan²

¹Department of Animal Biology, Undergraduate Student, Central Mindanao University, Maramag, Bukidnon, Philippines
²Department of Animal Biology, Faculty and University Museum Zoological Section, Central Mindanao University, Maramag, Bukidnon, Philippines

ABSTRACT

Termite mounds have long captivated human interest, yet the underlying reasons for developing mound-building characteristics in termites remain elusive. Termites represent eusocial insects that fall under the taxonomic category Isoptera, where in a caste system divides them into three significant castes: workers, soldiers, and reproductive. Termites are renowned for their remarkable ability to digest cellulose, the primary component of wood and plant materials. Some termite species even rely on consuming fungus to break down cellulose effectively. Termites are commonly recognized as structural and agricultural pests. Many often overlook their crucial role in maintaining soil balance and nutrient levels in our ecosystem. Though termite is not new to science, few of us can tell of their ecological importance, behavior, and diet. The study centered on termite autecology, and there have yet to be published data on the types of termite species found in Pinatilan, Valencia City. The study used the active collecting technique (visual searching) and the passive collecting method (opportunistic) sampling to gather the required data for analysis. The study found that the Macrotermes gilvus with complex soil nest found in Stations 1 and 3 are more prominent in body size (0.7 cm) with bilateral homing as compared to Schedorhinotermes intermedius (0.5 cm) with timber nest found in Station 2. Also, termite species in Pinatilan, Valencia City, had different body coloration and preferred habitats. The knowledge acquired in performing this study is essential to understand its foraging behavior, ecology, and morphology fully.

Keywords: Termites, Termites Mounds, Fungus comb, Autecology, Mindanao, Philippines

Species, 2023, 24(74), e72s1578

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v24i74.e72s1578

Published: 27 August 2023