Macrotermes

Macrotermes is a genus of termites prevalent in Africa and Southeast Asia, belonging to the subfamily Macrotermitinae. Notable species within this genus include Macrotermes natalensis and Macrotermes bellicosus. These termites exhibit a unique feeding strategy: they cultivate a fungus called Termitomyces within their expansive mounds to assist in breaking down dead plant material.

During the rainy season, winged adults, known as alates, embark on nuptial flights to establish new colonies. Within their nests, termites sow spores of the fungus on fragments of wood, treat these spores with a specialized growth hormone, and subsequently consume the resulting fungal growth. This fungus garden not only supplies nutrition but also produces heat.

The heat generated by the fungal garden is regulated by an intricate system of tunnels. A central chimney and smaller auxiliary tunnels facilitate the dissipation of heat, maintaining an optimal nest temperature. Near the surface of the nest, there is an exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen, essential for the termites' respiration. Worker termites have the ability to open or close these tunnels, allowing them to precisely control the internal nest temperature.