Wp/enm/Turmyte



Þe turmyte ys a manere of ſocial inſecte wyþ ſex legges þat ſkolres ſorten to þe ordre Iſoptera. Termytes ſomwhile bēn yknown as whīte emetes for hi lyuen on emtes wiſe; ak hi ne ben neȝ kynne þerwiþ. Þes wormes wonen on grete compaignies þat hatten neſtes or elles colonias. Cuſtvmable ys þat hy eten wude. Some men eten termytes.

Þe turmites caſtes
A turmyte is yborn to one fleſſhlich kinde of ſere caſtes. Neȝ alle termytes ben eyþer werkres owþer ſoudyoures. Þe caſte werkre ys þe ſmaleſte manere of turmite, whos meſter is to forraien and beren fode for þe compaignie, and oþre nytte þynges. Hi tymbren þe neſt and hit reparailen. Werkre termites ben firſt on abondance in þe compaygnie. Þe caſte ſoudiour ys þe nexſt on mvltytude, and his meiſter biþ to warden þe neſt wiþ fon þat wolden eten hem. Soudiovr turmites ſind (whilun) gretre þan werkres, and ſtrengre. In one bour þat dep is wiþinne neſte ſittþ þe Quen turmyte, þat ys moder alre þe compagnies famyliers. Hȝo is a gros worm for þe nones, al yſwolen wiþ eȝre. Þer beſide hire ſitþ þe Kyng termyte, þat biþ al þat compaignies fader. He ek is gret, þouȝ leſſe þan þe Qven.

Þe termytes hom
Some genres of turmytes tymbren hem muchle toures of erþe to wonen inne, þat moun ſtanden ylome eȝte fot on heȝþ or mo. Þes toures ben holie wiþ manye holwe weies and coves ouer al þe toure, þat han eurichon ſake to ben: ſome ben weyes to wiþouten þe toure, and ſume ben for to bringen ynne wind and god eire, for to acolen þe ilke tour.

Hi tymbren here tour þat hit toȝens þe ſonne be a morwen ec an evne, þe which warmeþ hit ſomdel. Ak þo glideþ þe ſonne over þe dai, þo hit ſtrong biþ aboute middeday, þo is þes toures þynne ſid þe turmytes toȝenes hit, and forþi ſaveþ þe tour hit ſelf from ouer hete.

Oþre kyndes of turmites timbren here neſt on a trewes bowe, or vnder molde.