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Story: Insects – overview

Native termite

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Native termite

New Zealand has three species of termite. They are social animals, living in small colonies made up of workers and soldiers (lacking eyes and wings), and a reproductive pair (the king and queen). They feed on wood, and tunnel into tree trunks and timber.

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Landcare Research – Manaaki Whenua

by Leonie Clunie

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How to cite this page

George Gibbs, Insects – overview – Groups few in number, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/10053/native-termite (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by George Gibbs, published 1 March 2009.