Take a look at these intricate patterns. The delicate filigree provides the magnificence to the structure.
These patterns have been painstakingly made by the termites, in the nearby park. The termites seem loathsome to most of the people but as a naturalist I find them intriguing. They occupy the same space as we do! They are the insects that tirelessly work for their sustenance as we do!
Maybe the humankind loathes termites because they challenge their might. Everything the humans build can eventually turn to dust with the slow and steady work of these minuscule creatures. The the trees, homes, and forts too, cannot stand in the way of termites.
Humans have tried their best to eradicate termites from the face of the Earth but the termites survived every onslaught. They continue to thrive and build castles of their own or effortlessly raze the man made castles to dust.
They gnaw at the surfaces and destroy buildings because we have built them over their habitat. What if we left our prejudices aside and no more felt hostile towards them, then we may possibly appreciate their hard work. They are beneficial to the ecosystem because they decompose dead plant and return the nutrients to the soil just like the earthworms and fungi. Like all other creatures, they have an important role to play, as assigned by the Nature.
We may not want them to thrive in our habitats and provide ‘annoying‘ services but we do need them to thrive in their own spaces and provide ‘gnawing‘ services!!
The 'indulgent'...bystander 