Termites

Termites are a 'Character' in Stanislaw Lem's Novel Fiasco .

They appear in the story 'Termites & Ants'.

Lem takes the example of Termites to visualize the Concept of Symergie. 

He uses the experiment of Collenger to illustrate

The fictional Authors Collenger is quoted, stating that the self-organization ability of those blind, helpless creatures goes so far as to be independently building a mound that adds flawlessy even when separated and later, with the obstacle removed, being allowed to be rejoined.

"Are you acquainted with Collenger's experiment? It's considered nonsense. He was not, true, a myrmecologist, only an amateur. Cut through an entire termite mound from top to 'bottom and inserted a steel plate, so that the two halves could not communicate with each 'other in any way. The mound was young, the termites had only begun building it. After six 'weeks he removed the plate. It turned out that the new tunnels had been constructed in such a way that their mouths, on either side of the barrier, exactly corresponded—not a 'millimeter off, vertically or horizontally. Just as men build a tunnel, beginning the work simultaneously on both sides of the mountain and meeting in the middle. How did the termites communicate through the steel? "

Unnamed Professor

"And then—Gruss's experiment. Also not verified. He maintained that if you killed the termite queen, workers that were several hundred meters from the mound immediately showed agitation and returned to the nest."

Unnamed Professor

According to the experiment of Gruss, killing the termite queen in the mound, would serve as an ultimate alarm call to the members of the species of the tribe, put them on alert and signal them to retreat to the mound.

Gruss

In the fictional story read by Tempe on the Euridyce, the Termites developd some form of Totemistic society, attaching and defending the Sphere, which provides longevity to the Elder of the Insects.