Life Cycles of Termites

Termites divide themselves into castes based on the location of their colony. The queen, king, and alates are reproductive termites. Soldiers, like employees, are typically sterile. Unlike bees and ants, termites undergo a developmental process known as incomplete metamorphosis. The termite goes through three different life stages: egg, nymph, and adult.

Young termites can molt several times during their lives, depending on the needs of the colony. Termite alates swarm out of the colony in this case. Because alate wings aren't designed for controlled flight, they tend to take off in random directions. Swarms can be something to keep an eye out for, especially if it's close to your home.

Termite Varieties

Before we get into termite life cycles, it's important to understand the differences between termite types. These pests are typically classified based on the location of their colony; subterranean termites are vulnerable to open air and thus construct tunnels known as mud tubes to reach potential food sources. Drywood termites live inside dry wood, which includes support beams, attic framing, and firewood or scrap wood. Formosan termites, which are mostly found in the southern United States, are similar to their subterranean cousins in most ways, but have a longer body, a shorter head, and two short pincers.

While subterranean, drywood, and formosan termites can cause problems for Florida homeowners all year, they are especially noticeable in the spring and summer.

What Do Termites Do in a Colony?

Termites, like many insects, divide themselves into castes. The following are examples of castes:

Termites on the job

Termites with soldiers

The queen, king, and alates are reproductive termites.

Termites in the Workplace

Worker termites are frequently the busiest because they are in charge of finding food, storing it, and maintaining the nest. Workers are the most likely to be found in an infestation because they are primarily tasked with digesting cellulose (the part of the wood that termites eat).

Worker termites can be male or female, but they are typically sterile.

Termites with Soldiers

Soldier termites exist solely to defend the termite colony, and their powerful jaws are often so large that they can't feed themselves, necessitating workers to feed them. Because soldier termites' characteristics are so exaggerated, many species of termites are identified based on them. Soldiers, like employees, are typically sterile.

Termites that reproduce

Fertile males and females, known as the king and queen, are both reproductive termites. The queen of a termite colony is in charge of egg production and mates with the colony's king for life. Some queen termite species, such as subterranean termites, begin producing winged alates for reproduction in the spring, resulting in termite swarms emerging from the colony in a phenomenon known as nuptial flight.

The Life Cycle of Termites

Termites, like most insects, begin their lives as eggs. However, unlike bees and ants (the Hymenoptera classes that termites are said to resemble), these pests undergo a developmental process known as incomplete metamorphosis. The termite goes through three different life stages in an incomplete metamorphosis: egg, nymph, and adult. Young termites can molt several times during their lives, depending on the needs of the colony, including into reproductive alates.

Nymphs of Termites

Termite nymphs look like small adults and molt into workers first, often in three stages. Termite nymphs can take months to develop into adults, depending on food availability, temperature, and colony population. Nymphs are unable to feed themselves while growing. Worker termites are responsible for this task, as well as other colony tasks such as tending to the queen, building the nest, and foraging for food.

Termites that have reached maturity

Termites will "molt" into their final form as they mature. Many termite nymphs will develop into workers, but some will continue to molt into soldiers or reproductive flyers known as alate nymphs. Pheromones secreted by the queen regulate colony growth, and all but a few termites are prevented from becoming fertile queens by these secretions. Termite alates may remain in the colony as supplemental queens or kings in some cases. These termites do not fully mature until the colony's main reproductive agents die.

How Termite Colonies Proliferate

While termites can build mud tubes to find food, termite colonies can also spread during what is known as a nuptial flight. Termite alates swarm out of the colony in this case. Because alate wings aren't designed for controlled flight, they tend to take off in random directions. The timing of nuptial flights varies by species; some swarms begin at dusk, while others begin in the morning. Precipitation, wind speed, moisture, and other environmental factors all play a role.

When alate males and females form a pair in flight, they land together and search for a suitable new colony location. When the two mates find the right spot, they dig a chamber large enough for both of them, close it up behind them, and proceed to mate. Once this occurs, the two reproductive termites never leave the colony again and continue to mate for the rest of their lives, which is a very long time for termites: Once mated, a termite queen can live for 30 to 50 years. If the queen dies while there is still a king present, the king will produce pheromones to encourage the development of replacement queens.

Why Are Termite Swarms Important in Termite Control?

When it comes to pest control, a termite swarm is something to keep an eye out for, especially if it's close to your home. This could be an indication that a termite infestation exists or is on the horizon.