High-level organization- cooperation, brood care, overlapping generations within a colony with the division of labor working for 24x7 hours.

Delicacy, a medicinal and important aspect of any ecosystem-recycling Need Food, Moisture, Shelter, and optimum temperature for survival Termites present on Earth for 250 million years Most closely related to wood-eating cockroaches 2,300 - 2,600 species under 60 genera worldwide and are grouped under 7 families, out of which termites grouped under 4 families are economically important.

Kingdom: Animalia | Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Isoptera (iso-ptera="equal winged")

1. India - 337 species under 59 genera
2. 95 species under Five families - responsible for timber damage in forests, buildings, and agricultural crops.
3. Most are soil inhabitation, either mound builders or subterranean nest builders.
4. 58 species under 3 families viz; Kalotermitidae (4 genera, 8 species of Cryptotermes) Rhinotermitidae (2 genera, 4 species of Coptotermes) Termitidae (22 genera, 46 species)
5. Cryptotermes spp. (west Indian dry wood/powder post termite)
6. Coptotermes spp. (Subterranean termite)
7. Macrotermes spp., cause severe damage to wood works in buildings.

1. Found on all continents except Antarctica Low in North America and Europe, High in South America.
2. Due to soft cuticles absent in cold habitats
3.Asia-435 species, mainly distributed in China
4. Three ecological groups- Damp wood, Dry wood, and Subterranean
5. Damp wood - Coniferous forest
6. Dry wood - Hardwood forests
7. Subterranean-Diverse areas