Our Friends the Termites

Take a journey into the micro-world of one of the most maligned creatures on the planet and discover the real story of termites. After years of keen observation in Western Australia's Kimberley region, Pat Lowe shows that there is more to these industrious insects than their propensity to eat houses and furniture.

Termites are the earthworms of the tropics, providing nutrients to arid soils. They have been an important food for people and other animals throughout the centuries, and their nests have been used in many human endeavours.

Our Friends the Termites will enlighten anyone who has travelled through northern Australia and wondered at the strange mounds that dot the landscape. It is a fascinating and delightful read for backyard naturalists, entomologists and the simply curious.

Introduction   9
No place like home   11
Who's who in the colony   27
Social life   37
The good that termites do   57
Termites and people   69
Eaten by white ants   85
How termites talk to one another   101
How termites think   109
Termitophiles and other folk   119
Glossary   137
Bibliography   141
Acknowledgements   144