They appear in various and sometimes surprising ways and places. I am talking about termite colonies and where you might discover their nests. Termite nest can be found inside wooden furniture, inside walls, high above the ground on the outside of trees, beneath trees, inside of trees, in wooden structures, below ground, above ground, and even in the middle of occupied space.
One such nest has generated a lot of press lately due to the circumstances surrounding its location and the design the nest has taken — both of which have created quite a stir in an otherwise quiet and remote area.
Some might take a skeptical view of accounts out of Phnom Penh, Cambodia where 56 year-old Kuong Keo Ry has claimed that termites have built five nests in the middle of her cement floor which are all in the shape of a sitting Buddha and rise 19 inches from the floor. However, a news reporter has verified the existence of the mounds and so have numerous visitors to the site. According to Ry, she tried numerous times to get rid of the nests but each morning she discovered that they had returned.
One television show host has said that the mounds were like a miracle to him. It is such publicity which has spread the word about the unusual nests and caused many people to visit the mounds each day and now some 50 to 60 people, mostly Buddhists, visit Ry’s home daily. People who visit the site say that they see various messages and signs of wonder in the shape and size of the nests which is why they continue to come and offer prayers. One regular visitor stated that he believes the termites are trying to convey a message from God.
Whether or not the enterprising pests have caused any damage to Ry’s home has not been reported nor has anything been said about any attempt to relocate the creatures or otherwise get rid of them. All forms of life are sacred in Buddhism, including it appears, the life of termites, especially those who are creative enough to make their nests in the form of a sitting Buddha. Thus, for the moment, getting rid of the pests seem quite out of the question.
