GENERAL FACTS IN THE BIOLOGY OF PHILIPPINE 
MOUND-BUILDING TERMITES 
By Leopoldo B. Uichanco 
Of the Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of 
the Philippines, Los Banos 
FOUR PLATES 
The mound-building species of Philippine termites so far 
known are all members of the genus Termes. They are common 
in rural and suburban places; and in caingin fields they are 
left undisturbed, although undoubtedly a menace to farming 
operations, both because they are always in the way and because 
they are prolific sources of severe anay 1 infestation. The tao 
tolerates the nests, not because he is too lazy to dig them out, 
but because a tradition current among Filipino peasants makes 
the nuno 2 the regular occupant of the mound. The nuno is 
a sort of wood-inhabiting spirit, believed to be normally invisi- 
ble ; he, however, occasionally appears to us mortals in the form 
of a small, unsightly, evil-looking old man, wearing a large 
salacot , 3 His every desire is a wicked one. He takes pleasure 
in causing human suffering; and to injure him, even though 
accidentally, means sickness, and often death, to the offender. 
The termite mounds found in the Philippines do not reach 
the proportions of those met with in some other countries. In 
Australia, for example, termite mounds grow so large that they 
often appear to the traveler to be huge earthen towers. Old 
termite mounds in the Philippines very rarely reach a height 
of two meters. They generally approach a round-topped, conical 
shape, and are usually free from green vegetation, although 
they are occasionally found covered all over with a thick mat 
of cogon or low shrubbery. Sometimes a mound is built around 
or against a large tree trunk, in which case its shape becomes 
very irregular. The outer wall of the nest is remarkably com- 
pact, considerable force being necessary to break it open with 
a mattock. The main constituent of this wall is very fine clay, 
1 Local name for the termite, or white ant. 
2 Tagalog for grandfather. 
8 A native helmet, usually made of bamboo or palm leaves, and rattan. 
59 
