Safari! Animal #11 - The architects of Africa: termites.

Mchwa in Swahili means termite. You probably know that termites' favorite food is wood, but did you know that termites are a favorite food themselves. Beetles eat them, birds eat them, spiders eat them, fish eat them, baboons eat them, leopards eat them and, yes, even people eat them. And why not? They're nutritious and delicious, providing both protein and fat, the latter coming from a tasty oily substance found in their abdomens. In case you are interested in trying them, the kind people eat are called 'white ants' since they look like big winged ants with white bellies. People usually fry them or just pluck off their wings and pop them into their mouths - just like popcorn, only a little squirmier.

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