In the U.S. alone, termites cause about $30 billion in annual destruction to homes, other buildings, or crops. Thanks to the critters' numbers being greater in much warmer areas, diverse global economies, relative differences in national currencies, variations in the effectiveness of combating the insects, and disparities in reporting accuracy, it is not possible to tell with equal precision the creatures' worldwide damage tally. It seems safe to estimate it, though, at between half a trillion and one trillion dollars a year.

In our country, the average amount spent to repair after a house termite infestation is $3000. Every 12 months, another 600,000 homes in the U.S. fall victim to termite damage. Subterranean species live in all U.S. states but Alaska. Agriculturally, our country fares better than other regions. Yet here too shade trees, sugarcane, and other crops are destroyed by such invasions. These social insects have been making successful colonies around the world since the times of dinosaurs, the species evolving from a type of insect similar to cockroaches. Termites are thought to have first appeared about 130 million years ago. A fairly modern looking termite was found in amber dated at roughly 100 million years young. They are quiet consumers, giving few clues to their destructive habits until significant damage has often already occurred. Though individually tiny, the total weight of the world's termites easily exceeds that of all humans. A termite colony might have up to 5 million individuals. A healthy queen can lay 30,000 eggs daily, and she might live 25 years or more.

The worst effects of termite damage are to buildings and agricultural products in the subtropical and tropical regions of Southeast Asia, Africa, South America, and Australia.

Termites' combined metabolism is associated with the generation of up to 11% of the world's methane released into the atmosphere, this gas being a major source of greenhouse effects and so of global warming.

Yet to focus only on termites' negative consequences for people reveals less than half of their role in the biosphere. The insects provide much benefit. They are a major source of protein and are eaten by humans and their farm animals in many cultures. These little food packets are loaded with fat and vitamins A and C, plus other micronutrients, yet without some of the anti-nutritional factors often associated with more popular fare. They are food too for many types of wildlife, including primates, shrews, moles, mongooses, bats, numbats, aardvarks, anteaters, and echinidnas. Besides these, of course, hundreds of bird, reptile, amphibian, insect, spider, and even nematode species eat termites.

Oddly enough, they also have a role to play in medicine. Derivatives from the bodies of some species possess antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Notwithstanding that some folks are allergic to both termite dung and their mouth fluids, termites themselves or concoctions made from their mounds, which contain termite saliva and fecal material, are useful in treating gastric disorders such as ulcers, diarrhea, dysentery, and cholera as well as being helpful with iron or calcium deficiencies. They have analgesic properties and so are effectively employed against pain.

Termites have a huge part to play in our overall ecology through the breakdown of complex dead tissues, especially so with cellulose, the aeration of earth, and nitrogen fixation. They are thus vital to the health of forests and help barren soils become rich enough to support abundant plant growth. Australian researchers found that soils aerated and nitrogen-enhanced by ample termite and ant colonies produce 36% more wheat than soils without many of these insects. Termite mounds are used, as in Laos, as charcoal kilns and to fertilize gardens or staple crops such as rice. The termites themselves are often used as fish food, the fish later being harvested for human consumption. Important food plants, such as the wild yam, thrive on termite mounds and can be vital during major droughts.

Without termites, there would be fewer and less healthy forests, and many other plant forms would have a tough time making a go of it in vast stretches of Earth's warmer landmasses. Absent plentiful forests and other flora, fauna, of course, would also be less plentiful. Happily, that is unlikely to be the case for a long time, for these little creatures seem destined to be as successful in the next several millions years as they have been for eons already.

Even the 11% of global methane generation for which termites are responsible (which figure is not going down, termites being here to stay) might be offset relatively easily by humans consuming about 22% less domestic meat. Though termites may be less tasty for the human palate than hot dogs, steaks, mutton, bacon, and chicken tenders, the relative benefits of the two sources of nutrition greatly favor termites over cattle, pigs, sheep, and chickens.

All in all, it is well to note that only 1% of the named species of termites are directly harmful to humans. The 99% balance are at least neutral to our interests or decidedly helpful to them. Termites are major factors in our global landscape, and the world would be a far less inviting and productive place without them.