Termites are a group of detritophagous eusocial insects which consume a wide variety of decaying plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, and soil humus. They are distinguished by their moniliform antennae and the soft-bodied and often unpigmented worker caste for which they have been commonly termed "white ants"; however, they are not ants, to which they are only distantly related. About 2,972 extant species are currently described, 2,105 of which are members of the family Termitidae.

Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blattodea (along with cockroaches). Termites were once classified in a separate order from cockroaches, but recent phylogenetic studies indicate that they evolved from cockroaches, as they are deeply nested within the group, and the sister group to wood eating cockroaches of the genus Cryptocercus. Previous estimates suggested the divergence took place during the Jurassic or Triassic. More recent estimates suggest that they have an origin during the Late Jurassic, with the first fossil records in the Early Cretaceous.

Similarly to ants and some bees and wasps from the separate order Hymenoptera, most termites have an analogous "worker" and "soldier" caste system consisting of mostly sterile individuals which are physically and behaviorally distinct. Unlike ants, most colonies begin from sexually mature individuals known as the "king" and "queen" that together form a lifelong monogamous pair. Also unlike ants, which undergo a complete metamorphosis, termites undergo an incomplete metamorphosis that proceeds through egg, nymph, and adult stages. Termite colonies are commonly described as superorganisms due to the collective behaviors of the individuals which form a self-governing entity: the colony itself. Their colonies range in size from a few hundred individuals to enormous societies with several million individuals. Most species are rarely seen, having a cryptic life-history where they remain hidden within the galleries and tunnels of their nests for most of their lives.

Termites' success as a group has led to them colonizing almost every global landmass, with the highest diversity occurring in the tropics where they are estimated to constitute 10% of the animal biomass, particularly in Africa which has the richest diversity with more than 1000 described species. They are important decomposers of decaying plant matter in the subtropical and tropical regions of the world, and their recycling of wood and plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. Many species are ecosystem engineers capable of altering soil characteristics such as hydrology, decomposition, nutrient cycling, vegetative growth, and consequently surrounding biodiversity through the large mounds constructed by certain species.

Termites have several impacts on humans. They are a delicacy in the diet of some human cultures such as the Makiritare in the Alto Orinoco province of Venezuela, where they are commonly used as a spice. They are also used in traditional medicinal treatments of various diseases and ailments, such as influenza, asthma, bronchitis, etc. Termites are most famous for being structural pests; however, the vast majority of termite species are innocuous, with the regional numbers of economically significant species being: North America, 9; Australia, 16; Indian subcontinent, 26; tropical Africa, 24; Central America and the West Indies, 17. Of known pest species, 28 of the most invasive and structurally damaging belong to the genus Coptotermes. The distribution of most known pest species is expected to increase over time as a consequence of climate change. Increased urbanization and connectivity is also predicted to expand the range of some pest termites.

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  • Chronicon [they/them]
    ·
    3 months ago

    Okay so I have several thoughts for you:

    1. You can almost certainly remove the sim and put that SIM card in a new phone and it will just work (new phone should be unlocked or same carrier. Verizon is the strictest big carrier about this (some prepaids are also weird), and even so I've done it on verizon many times without much issue. The SIM itself may be too big for a brand new phone, but you could put it in a new-to-you older phone and more than likely it will continue to work with the family plan (or cut it down to size with a razor blade, the chip is the same size its just the plastic that's bigger)
    2. As far as repair goes, if you haven't yet, first thing I'd try though is get a sewing needle, or similarly small object, and carefully dig around in the bottom of the port for packed-in pocket crud. That usually works pretty good for me.
    3. Failing that, as buckykat said, replace the port. If you're willing to say what phone it is I'd do some research for you and see how easy replacement would be (decent chance it's on a separate replaceable board that would require no soldering or anything, that you could buy online or buy a cracked screen donor phone for cheap on ebay.
    4. Final zero risk option if you can find one, is buy an external charging cradle for the battery (and maybe a spare battery) and just charge outside the phone body

    So yeah, if you have any interest in repair or anything ping me with the model number and I will do some research! I love this kind of stuff. And thankfully it being obama era it will not be eSIM (technology is the worst sometimes lol)

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      3 months ago

      Small phone repair shops will often solder in a new charging port for you. Idk how much it costs tho.