Insect · GBIF taxon 9656725
Macrotermes bellicosus
Macrotermes bellicosusMacrotermes bellicosus is a fungus-growing termite that builds large ventilated earthen mounds above extensive underground galleries. Workers cultivate Termitomyces fungus on combs made from plant material, while seasonal rains trigger mass flights of winged reproductive adults.
Fungus-growing TermiteVentilated MoundEusocial Insect
Licensed referenceETF89 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Dead grass, leaf litter, and wood are processed through cultivated Termitomyces fungus inside the colony
Predators
- Aardvarks
- Driver ants
- Hornbills
ThreatsLand conversion, broad-spectrum pesticides, mound destruction, severe flooding, drought, and loss of plant litter
HabitatsAfrican savanna, open woodland, tropical forest margins, grassland, farmland, and seasonally wet plains
Life spanWorkers live for months, while a queen and her colony may persist for many years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyTermitidae
- SpeciesMacrotermes bellicosus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Do not break open occupied mounds; soldiers defend breaches and mound repair is energetically costly.
Responsible observation
- Mound: Observe the tall earthen structure without digging, climbing, or blocking vents.
- Flight: Watch winged adults after rain from outside dense emergence swarms.
- Colony: Leave broken galleries, fungal combs, workers, and the enlarged queen undisturbed.
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