Termites – 5 fun facts about the architects of the Okavango Delta

The large towers of mud that termites live in, known as termite mounds, can stand over three metres in height above ground, while their "living space" beneath the ground can cover up to approximately 50 square metres! What may appear at first as a huge lump of dirt is in fact a complex architectural masterpiece designed to house termites and help them break down the cellulose components of wood, decaying plants, and fungi. The mound is made from clay brought up from beneath ground level and mixed with termite saliva, resulting in its concrete nature. The fortress-like structure protects the termites from predators like aardwolves and raiding Matabele ants, creating a safe environment with the precise conditions needed to break down cellulose.

Termite mounds are also known as termitaria. Communicating entirely through pheromones, millions of blind worker termites can raise several tonnes of soil, particle by particle, into an enormous structure over three metres high. Below the mound lies the nest, where separate chambers house brood galleries, food stores, fungus combs (where termites cultivate a fungus that can break down plant cellulose) and the queen's royal cell. The queen produces up to 30,000 eggs a day, which means – since she lives for many years – that the millions of inhabitants of the colony are all brothers and sisters.

The whole structure is prevented from overheating by a miraculous air conditioning system, which is studied worldwide. Warm air rises from the nest chambers, up a central chimney, into thin-walled ventilation flues near the surface. In this way, termites maintain the 100% humidity and constant temperature of 29-31 degrees Celsius required for the successful production of eggs and young. These conditions are exploited by other animals, including monitor lizards, which seal their eggs inside the mounds for safe incubation.

Dating back over 50 million years, termites are one of the most ancient species on our planet. In the Delta, they have created the foundation for the very existence of the 150,000 islands that populate this vast inland oasis.

As the mounds grow, they begin to impede the flow of the Okavango's ephemeral waters, causing sand and soil to be deposited on their perimeters. The tall trees that grow on the mounds trap dust, and the cycle of growth continues. Through this collective process, the Delta's thousands of islands were formed and continue to develop today.

The termites' activities allow water to penetrate into the ground, holding on to critical nutrients and retaining water. In combination with nutrients being deposited by wildlife, the islands become reservoirs of life, even during the harshest droughts. Without these structures, the Delta would likely resemble its drier counterpart – the Makgadikgadi Pan.

The humble termite has been credited with helping discover the world's richest diamond mine, Jwaneng, in Botswana. In the dry Kalahari soil, termites will burrow as deep as 70 m below ground in search of moisture. At Jwaneng, their activity brought indicators of mineral wealth to the surface, and the subsequent discovery of these led to the opening of the world's richest diamond mine. This catapulted Botswana from being one of Africa's poorest nations to one of its richest.

After the rains, when conditions are right, the queen produces a reproductive caste of winged males and females – known as imagoes – which leave the colonies in huge swarms to mate, disperse and establish new nests. Mass termite "emergences" are one of the bonanzas of the bush, offering a seasonal feast for everything from frogs and spiders to kites, falcons and tawny eagles.

As the first rains hit the parched Kalahari ground, millions of these winged alates emerge for their nuptial flight. A female from one colony meets a male from another, and they shed their wings and establish a new colony. She becomes the queen, and he the king of their new domain, giving rise to a dynasty that will shape the landscape for decades to come.