| Latin Name | Observation Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Termitoidae | May 14, 2026 | Purulia, Natore, Bangladesh |
On the night of May 14, I saw them flying in a swarm under the light of the bulb outside my house. When the weather is a little hot and humid, they leave their old colonies. I saw many of them falling to the ground and shedding their wings.
Name and Identification:
In scientific terms, they are called '*** Termites***' or 'Alates'. And according to their scientific classification, they belong to the 'Termitoidae' family. According to my observations in i-Naturalist, their common identification is 'Termites'.
Habitat and Habitat:
Termites usually live in colonies deep in the soil or inside old wooden structures. These flying termites are mainly reproductive members of that colony, who are attracted by the light in search of a new home or colony.
Food:
Termites mainly eat cellulose-rich materials, such as dry tree branches, vines, or wooden furniture. However, they do not eat food in this flying state, their main goal is to reproduce.
Reproduction:
This time before or after the rain is very important for them. After spreading their wings and flying, they find a partner. Then they shed their wings and go deep into the ground and start the process of creating new colonies in pairs. This is a great part of their life cycle.
Benefits and harms:
Their role in nature's ecosystem is many. They help increase soil fertility and are one of the favorite foods of frogs or various birds in this flying state. However, we feel the harm in the home. If their colony is on the wooden structure of our furniture or door, it is at risk of being destroyed. Therefore, their presence means that there is a colony nearby, which is why we need to be a little careful.
I learned about them from various sites including iNaturalist, Wikipedia and Google.
(All posts are written in Bengali and translated into English using Google Translate.)
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| Camera Used | Samsung SM-G973F |
|---|---|
| F-Stop | F2.4 |
| ISO speed | ISO |
| Focal length | 26mm |
| Flash | No |
| Editing app | MIX |
| Photography | (Winged Termites) |
| Photographer |  @mshbd |
| Location | Purulia, Natore, Bangladesh |
| Link to original community |
|---|
| https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364750421 |
| Latitude | Longitude | Map Link |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3366 | 89.1117 | https://www.openstreetmap.org/?#map=12/24.3366/89.1117 |
