Humans may be the greatest builders on Earth - but we are not the only animals with a flair for architecture. Rivalling our skyscrapers, statues and pyramids are the air-conditioned fungus farms of termites, the arboreal residential complexes of weaver birds and the geometric designs of lonely pufferfish.
The Society of the Sociable WeaverA tiny little bird from South Africa, the sociable weaver (Philetarius socius) makes a communal effort to create massive woven nests, supporting a colony of up to 100 families. These things are built to last - some nests have been inhabited for over a hundred years.
Colonies resemble giant haystacks built around trees, riddled with entrance tunnels ringed with sharp spikes to keep out unwanted visitors. Despite this the weavers share their dwelling with other small birds - even pygmy falcons, birds of prey that could eat the weavers. The extra birds "pay" for their lodging by leading the weavers to food sources and being another set of eyes and beaks to defend the colony. Some larger birds (including eagles, owls and vultures) build nests on top of the weaver colonies!
Male white-spotted pufferfish (Torquigener albomaculosus) swim in circles whilst alternating between frantically flapping their fins and drifting. This kicks up the soft sandy sediment of the seafloor, allowing them to build up complex circular designs with peaks and troughs that are sometimes decorated with bits of seashell.
The peaks and troughs are more than decorative - they slow the passage of water through the center of the circle and cause sediment to be deposited. A well-designed nest that accumulates plenty of sediment is more likely to attract a female, as soft sediment provides a good burial site for eggs!
Dams and the Beavers That Build ThemPerhaps the best known example on this list, beavers are water-dwelling herbivorous rodents that are largely harmless unless you are a plant - or fall foul of a breaking beaver dam.
Beavers actually build two types of structures, a dam (to create a pool of deep water) and a lodge (a small fortress in which they shelter) located in the pool. They use sticks, mud, stone and clay to strengthen a structure that features underwater entrances and a dry "sleeping" area. The structure can reach 10m in diameter, and the dams can span over 100m to make a deep enough pool. One dam in Canada is almost 800m in length and can be seen from space!
Found in parts of the Amazon rainforest, these patches are populated by a single type of tree with no other vegetation. Locals gave them the name devil's garden due to their supernatural appearance, but they are actually the result of an alliance with ants.
The most common type found in Peru involves the Duroia hirsuta tree and the Myrmelachista schumanni ant. The tree features hollow stems that provide a safe home for the ants, while in return the insects "garden" for their host. The ants seek out other types of plant in the area and deliver formic-acid loaded bites to their leaves. The acid then spreads throughout the unwanted plant, poisoning and eventually killing it!
Spider Webs and Silken TunnelsSpiders are common throughout the world, spinning webs, traps or even throwing nets to catch prey. They use different types of silk in their constructions, whether the strand is for support, capture or another role entirely.
Some spiders use their webs as camouflage rather than a capture device. The purseweb spiders construct silk tubes on the trunks of trees and ambush insects that walk over their lair - it bites straight through the silk then drags the unfortunate victim inside.
Other spiders build a burrow that includes a silk "trapdoor." When the footsteps of a meal-to-be alerts the spider, it spider rushes out of concealment and pounces. A similar technique is used by funnel-web spiders, who use a network of trip lines emanating from their burrow to detect the presence of prey.
The use of rivets is pretty much unheard of in non-humans. The little spiderhunter makes them out of a mixture of spider webs and vegetable fiber, attaching the nest using around 150 rivets!
Towering Termite MoundsProportionally, these are massive structures - termites are tiny insects, and the mounds can reach 9m in height. They also regulate the temperature and provide shelter for the colony, despite being built solely of mud and feces.
African termites (Macrotermes bellicosus) are particularly accomplished builders. They farm fungus, but that fungus needs to be kept at a stable temperature to thrive - the blazing heat of midday or chill of night outside the mound would be lethal. The mounds feature vents that can be plugged or diverted, allowing the termites to "air condition" their home. The method is so effective that it inspired builders in Africa - the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, uses passive heat accumulation and venting to provide free air conditioning!
The fungus farms live in a symbiotic relationship with the termites, being fed raw materials such as wood and leaves and being nibbled in turn. The colonies only thrive when this relationship is intact, so the termites keep an eye out for parasitic fungi attempting to invade the farms. If this happens, termites will either attempt to remove the interloper manually... or bury the invader alive!
- The Society of the Sociable Weaver
- Seabed Sand Circles
- Dams and the Beavers That Build Them
- Landscaping a Devil's Garden
- Spider Webs and Silken Tunnels
- The Riveting Little Spiderhunter
- Towering Termite Mounds
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| Sociable weaver nests may look crude, but they can last for over a century.(Royber99) |
The Society of the Sociable WeaverA tiny little bird from South Africa, the sociable weaver (Philetarius socius) makes a communal effort to create massive woven nests, supporting a colony of up to 100 families. These things are built to last - some nests have been inhabited for over a hundred years.
Colonies resemble giant haystacks built around trees, riddled with entrance tunnels ringed with sharp spikes to keep out unwanted visitors. Despite this the weavers share their dwelling with other small birds - even pygmy falcons, birds of prey that could eat the weavers. The extra birds "pay" for their lodging by leading the weavers to food sources and being another set of eyes and beaks to defend the colony. Some larger birds (including eagles, owls and vultures) build nests on top of the weaver colonies!
Seabed Sand Circles
Off the coast of Japan, ornate "crop circles" of sand can be found by observant divers. These designs can be up to 2m across and are the nests made by a 12 cm-long pufferfish.Male white-spotted pufferfish (Torquigener albomaculosus) swim in circles whilst alternating between frantically flapping their fins and drifting. This kicks up the soft sandy sediment of the seafloor, allowing them to build up complex circular designs with peaks and troughs that are sometimes decorated with bits of seashell.
The peaks and troughs are more than decorative - they slow the passage of water through the center of the circle and cause sediment to be deposited. A well-designed nest that accumulates plenty of sediment is more likely to attract a female, as soft sediment provides a good burial site for eggs!
 |
| Beaver dams create a pool for the lodge... one dam is visible from space! (mehranbab) |
Dams and the Beavers That Build ThemPerhaps the best known example on this list, beavers are water-dwelling herbivorous rodents that are largely harmless unless you are a plant - or fall foul of a breaking beaver dam.
Beavers actually build two types of structures, a dam (to create a pool of deep water) and a lodge (a small fortress in which they shelter) located in the pool. They use sticks, mud, stone and clay to strengthen a structure that features underwater entrances and a dry "sleeping" area. The structure can reach 10m in diameter, and the dams can span over 100m to make a deep enough pool. One dam in Canada is almost 800m in length and can be seen from space!
Landscaping a Devil's Garden
Imagine walking through a lush rainforest and coming across a scorched clearing, filled with decaying vegetation and a few isolated but similar trees. Congratulations, you've just walked into a devil's garden.Found in parts of the Amazon rainforest, these patches are populated by a single type of tree with no other vegetation. Locals gave them the name devil's garden due to their supernatural appearance, but they are actually the result of an alliance with ants.
The most common type found in Peru involves the Duroia hirsuta tree and the Myrmelachista schumanni ant. The tree features hollow stems that provide a safe home for the ants, while in return the insects "garden" for their host. The ants seek out other types of plant in the area and deliver formic-acid loaded bites to their leaves. The acid then spreads throughout the unwanted plant, poisoning and eventually killing it!
 |
| This trapdoor spider burrow provides the arachnid with a place to lurk... (MrsKirk72) |
Spider Webs and Silken TunnelsSpiders are common throughout the world, spinning webs, traps or even throwing nets to catch prey. They use different types of silk in their constructions, whether the strand is for support, capture or another role entirely.
Some spiders use their webs as camouflage rather than a capture device. The purseweb spiders construct silk tubes on the trunks of trees and ambush insects that walk over their lair - it bites straight through the silk then drags the unfortunate victim inside.
Other spiders build a burrow that includes a silk "trapdoor." When the footsteps of a meal-to-be alerts the spider, it spider rushes out of concealment and pounces. A similar technique is used by funnel-web spiders, who use a network of trip lines emanating from their burrow to detect the presence of prey.
The Riveting Little Spiderhunter
The little spiderhunter (Arachnothera longirostra) is a small bird that needs a secure nest. In order to get one, the inventive avian will make a compact cup beneath a large leaf (such as that of a banana plant) and lock it in place with organic pop-rivets.The use of rivets is pretty much unheard of in non-humans. The little spiderhunter makes them out of a mixture of spider webs and vegetable fiber, attaching the nest using around 150 rivets!
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| A termite mound can contain fungus farms and have climate control... (bernswaelz) |
Towering Termite MoundsProportionally, these are massive structures - termites are tiny insects, and the mounds can reach 9m in height. They also regulate the temperature and provide shelter for the colony, despite being built solely of mud and feces.
African termites (Macrotermes bellicosus) are particularly accomplished builders. They farm fungus, but that fungus needs to be kept at a stable temperature to thrive - the blazing heat of midday or chill of night outside the mound would be lethal. The mounds feature vents that can be plugged or diverted, allowing the termites to "air condition" their home. The method is so effective that it inspired builders in Africa - the Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, uses passive heat accumulation and venting to provide free air conditioning!
The fungus farms live in a symbiotic relationship with the termites, being fed raw materials such as wood and leaves and being nibbled in turn. The colonies only thrive when this relationship is intact, so the termites keep an eye out for parasitic fungi attempting to invade the farms. If this happens, termites will either attempt to remove the interloper manually... or bury the invader alive!
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