The harvester termites are an ancient, Old World family of termites, Hodotermitidae. They are distinguished by the serrated inner edge of their mandibles, and their functional compound eyes which are present in all castes. They forage for grass at night and during daylight hours, and pigmented workers are often observed outside the nest. Their range includes the deserts and savannas of Africa, the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Their English name refers to their habit of collecting grass, which is not unique to the family, though.