If you have ever travelled into the outback you would have seen termite mounds, you know the ones where people dress them in shirts and hats!
Well, they are nothing compared to the Magnetic and Cathedral termite mounds you'll find in and around Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory. It's a fairly impressive sight to see hundreds of magnetic termite mounds standing across the flood plain - at first glance they look like tomb stones in a huge cemetery.
These amazing structures are unique to the area and can stand up to two meters high. In comparison, the Cathedral Termite mounds can be even taller, up to four meters.
These mounds, which are said to be up to 100 years old, have long thin edges which point north-south and the backs face east-west. The reason for this is that it regulates the heat inside the mounds for the termites, who prefer high humidity and a stable warm temperature.
Each termite mound is home to one queen termite who is responsible for producing all of the colony's eggs. The queen can live for up to 50-100 years, which is generally how long a mound is alive and active for.
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