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| The King and
Queen are the center of every termite colony.
The Queen's sole purpose is to reproduce. She may live up to
25 years and lay thousands of eggs each year. |
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| Eggs
are cared for by workers during a two-week incubation period
before passing into the nymph stage. |
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| Nymphs
mature and become one of the following: |
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| Supplementary
Reproductives act as replacements for the Queen
if she should die. They may also produce eggs even if the Queen
is healthy to help increase the colony size. |
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| Soldiers
with strong armored heads and strong jaws have the sole function
of defending the colony from enemies like ants. |
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| Workers
represent most of the termites in the colony. Blind and sterile,
they forage for the colony food, build and repair the nest and
tubes, and care for the other termites. Workers are the most
likely to infest wood and cause damage. |
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| Winged Reproductives
will eventually leave the colony as "Swarmers." After
swarming, they shed their wings and pair up. Each pair attempts
to burrow into the soil and begin a new colony. |
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