These runways may go through the soil 200 feet or more and through them contact is made with roots, stumps, trees and buildings which provide food for the colony . Infestation of buildings is usually initiated by workers from a well established colony in the ground and thousands of individuals can thus invade a building overnight . The colony members feed each other with food stored in the crop . The food is regurgitated and is the primary source of food for the royal pair and for the young nymphs. Termites also produce a special secretion from anus containing large numbers of the cellulose digesting protozoa which is fed to newly molted individuals.
Termites are beneficial in that they remove wood from the forest and recycle nutrients to plants .