Termite Lab

BACKGROUND:

Termites play an important role in the environment. They feed primarily on wood and are important in recycling nutrients in ecosystems. All have the standard insect features of six legs and three body sections: head, thorax, and abdomen. The life cycle is incomplete metamorphosis, consisting of egg, nymph, and adult. Nymphs or immature termites may develop into workers, soldiers, or reproductives, depending on the needs of the colony.

Termites live in colonies, with three levels of organizations, or castes. The first caste includes termites capable of reproduction, appropriately called the reproductives. The reproductives include a king and queen and, in some cases, a few replacement individuals. Typically mature colonies produce winged reproductives that disperse and generate new colonies. The second caste is the soldiers. Their sole function in the colony is to defend against invaders. They are less numerous in the colony than workers. The third caste, the bulk of the termite population is the workers. The workers perform jobs such as obtaining food, excavating wood, and constructing tunnels, as well as feeding the soldiers, reproductives, and immature termites (nymphs) in the colony.

Each caste can be identified by certain outstanding characteristics. The workers are soft-bodied, wingless, blind, and creamy-white when fully grown. The head may be yellow-brown, and the entire insect is just 7-10 mm long. Workers are sterile and blind. Each caste has unique physical characteristics.

Termites communicate with each other through the use of pheromones. There is a chemical in BIC pens that is very similar to the termite pheromone. We can investigate how termites behave in response to this chemical and other chemicals.

PROBLEM: How is the behavior of worker termites altered when exposed to chemicals from various writing instruments?

In today’s activity you will be working with worker termites. Handle them gently. Keep track of the termites when they are out on your table. Use the paint brush to gently push them back onto the white paper. CAUTION: Termites are living organisms and should be handled with care. Carefully return the termites to the holding container at the end of the lab.

Materials:

Alan Ascher, Revised, 2010 1

Katherine Hermens, Revised, 2012

Julianne Sundstrom, Revised, 2012

  • Termite culture
  • BIC pens
  • Paintbrushes
  • Holding cups
  • Various writing instruments (pens, markers, pencils, etc.)
  • White paper

Alan Ascher, Revised, 2010 1

Katherine Hermens, Revised, 2012

Julianne Sundstrom, Revised, 2012

Procedure:

ENGAGE

  1. Place several termites from the holding cup onto a sheet of white paper. Use the brush to gently push the termites toward the center of the paper.
  2. Observe the termites for several minutes. What do you see the termites doing?

EXPLORE:

  1. Draw a circle of about 8 cm or 3-4 inches diameter around the area where the termites are moving. Is there any change in the behavior of the termites?
  2. Draw a path on the paper that varies from straight to wiggling, from one end of the paper almost to the other.
  3. Push the termites carefully toward one end of the “trail”. Observe for several minutes. What do you see the termites doing?
  4. Design a hypothesis that can be explored during this lab.

HYPOTHESIS: ______Write this in your lab notebook______

How can you test this hypothesis?

Please design your test such that you are collecting quantitative data – such as time spent on the line vs. time off.

Your procedure: What will you do to test this hypothesis? Describe the steps that you will take to determine something about the behavior of the termites. Be sure that your procedure does not harm the termites.

Write your procedure in your lab notebook – experimental group vs. control group

Data Collection: What did you observe?

Make a table for your data in your lab notebook. Also summarize your findings on the class chart.

You can move the termites from one sheet of paper to another, if necessary. Use care in moving the termites. When all the tests are completed, place the termites back in their cup.

Analysis: Answer in your lab notebook

  1. How are these blind termites able to follow a “trail”?
  2. Summarize your results – what trends are there?
  3. How can you explain your results for your experimental group vs. your control group?

Conclusion:

Write a conclusion in your notebook. Was your hypothesis supported? Is there evidence that termite behavior is altered by chemicals? Was there any lab error? What did you learn from your experiment?

DATA TABLE (class data)

VARIABLE / OBSERVATIONS / POSSIBLE EXPLANATION

Alan Ascher, Revised, 2010 1

Katherine Hermens, Revised, 2012

Julianne Sundstrom, Revised, 2012