Termite
Subterranean, Dampwood, Drywood termite.
Dampwood, drywood and subterranean termites. They are herbivorous and feed on wood, vegetable, soil, organic and faecal matter. They exhibit a significant preference to a particular food and are primarily dependent on cellulose, which they obtain from both living and dead wood.
Subterranean termites (family Rhinotermitidae) are cold-blooded insects that live underground. There are many different subterranean termites, including Eastern, Formosan and Asian termites. Like all insects, they have three parts of their body: the thorax, abdomen and head. Their antennae are used as sensory organs.
Queen and King Termite Soldier Termite
Worker Termite Alate
Termites are cellulose-eating insects that fall under the infraorder Isoptera and showcase a tremendous social system, similar to ants and bees. Isoptera in Greek means ‘two pairs of straight wings’, and over the years, termites are sometimes called white ants or confused with true ants. After researchers saw them under a microscope, they noticed the distinguishing features between termites and ants.
Termites include a large number of species, close to 2,750 species that are prominently found in tropical rainforests all around the world. Transportation for these insects was easy, as they were sometimes accidentally transported through wooden pieces like boat timbers, furniture and shipping crates. Termites are surviving for more than 120 million years.
Subterranean termites are social insects that live in societies whose members are mostly immature individuals. Their colonies, which can contain thousands to millions of termites, are formidable, even though each individual termite is soft-bodied and delicate.
Termite life cycle comprises of eggs, immature forms or nymphs and mature forms or adults, which include sterile workers, soldiers, pseudergates and various fertile winged or wingless reproductive forms. Nymphs have a very intricate and active life and after a few moults get transformed into different adult forms.
After fertilization, the female termite lays her eggs in a jelly-like liquid that holds the eggs together. A female termite can lay around 30,000 eggs in one day. Termite eggs are small and white in colour and can be noticed through the naked eye.
The adult termites form large colonies that are segregated by class or caste. The colonies include workers, reproductives and soldier termites.
Worker Termites: Most young termite insects develop into worker termites, which are considered the largest termite colony. They appear to be yellowish-white to creamy white in colour. Worker termites do not have eyes, or wings, and are larger than nymphs. In a few species, workers are the only termites who can feed independently.
Soldier Termites: The soldier termite comes after workers, as they are the second largest colony of termites. Soldier termites are able to defend themselves and mostly work towards guarding the nest. In soldier termites, the mouthparts are specially designed for defence purposes. In appearance, they have the most distinctive features. Soldier termites are sterile and blind. Soldier termites release a toxic substance through their nozzle when encountered by an enemy. Soldier termites are considered to be the most active kind of termite.
Reproductive Alate: In termite colonies, king and queen termites are the only ones who can reproduce. Reproductive alates that appear to be golden to dark brown are also known as swarmers. While some alates are dark-brown, the other species of alates are reddish-brown. In size, alates are bigger than soldiers and workers.
King Termite: A male alate who has finished mating is called a king termite. A king termite does not change in size after becoming the king of a colony.
Queen Termite: Over time, queen termites become much larger than king termites. The former reproductive alates are called queen termites. The ovaries of queen termites develop continuously as she grows older. Due to this, a queen termite is able to lay large amounts of eggs. As the queen termite lays her eggs, her abdomen also gets swollen with time.
The life expectancy of termites varies, depending on the species it belongs to. The life expectancy of worker and soldier termites is up to 10 to 14 months. But, the reproductive adult termites live for more than four years; especially the reproductive females or queen termites can live for more than 25 years.
A termite mud tube is a tunnel used by subterranean termites to help protect them from drying out and from predators. These tubes are composed of soil, wood, and saliva. Mud tubes shelter termites while they are working and obtaining substances.
Dampwood, drywood and subterranean termites. They are herbivorous and feed on wood, vegetable, soil, organic and faecal matter. They exhibit a significant preference to a particular food and are primarily dependent on cellulose, which they obtain from both living and dead wood.
Subterranean termites (family Rhinotermitidae) are cold-blooded insects that live underground. There are many different subterranean termites, including Eastern, Formosan and Asian termites. Like all insects, they have three parts of their body: the thorax, abdomen and head. Their antennae are used as sensory organs.
Queen and King Termite Soldier Termite
Worker Termite Alate
Termites are cellulose-eating insects that fall under the infraorder Isoptera and showcase a tremendous social system, similar to ants and bees. Isoptera in Greek means ‘two pairs of straight wings’, and over the years, termites are sometimes called white ants or confused with true ants. After researchers saw them under a microscope, they noticed the distinguishing features between termites and ants.
Termites include a large number of species, close to 2,750 species that are prominently found in tropical rainforests all around the world. Transportation for these insects was easy, as they were sometimes accidentally transported through wooden pieces like boat timbers, furniture and shipping crates. Termites are surviving for more than 120 million years.
Subterranean termites are social insects that live in societies whose members are mostly immature individuals. Their colonies, which can contain thousands to millions of termites, are formidable, even though each individual termite is soft-bodied and delicate.
Termite life cycle comprises of eggs, immature forms or nymphs and mature forms or adults, which include sterile workers, soldiers, pseudergates and various fertile winged or wingless reproductive forms. Nymphs have a very intricate and active life and after a few moults get transformed into different adult forms.
After fertilization, the female termite lays her eggs in a jelly-like liquid that holds the eggs together. A female termite can lay around 30,000 eggs in one day. Termite eggs are small and white in colour and can be noticed through the naked eye.
The adult termites form large colonies that are segregated by class or caste. The colonies include workers, reproductives and soldier termites.
Worker Termites: Most young termite insects develop into worker termites, which are considered the largest termite colony. They appear to be yellowish-white to creamy white in colour. Worker termites do not have eyes, or wings, and are larger than nymphs. In a few species, workers are the only termites who can feed independently.
Soldier Termites: The soldier termite comes after workers, as they are the second largest colony of termites. Soldier termites are able to defend themselves and mostly work towards guarding the nest. In soldier termites, the mouthparts are specially designed for defence purposes. In appearance, they have the most distinctive features. Soldier termites are sterile and blind. Soldier termites release a toxic substance through their nozzle when encountered by an enemy. Soldier termites are considered to be the most active kind of termite.
Reproductive Alate: In termite colonies, king and queen termites are the only ones who can reproduce. Reproductive alates that appear to be golden to dark brown are also known as swarmers. While some alates are dark-brown, the other species of alates are reddish-brown. In size, alates are bigger than soldiers and workers.
King Termite: A male alate who has finished mating is called a king termite. A king termite does not change in size after becoming the king of a colony.
Queen Termite: Over time, queen termites become much larger than king termites. The former reproductive alates are called queen termites. The ovaries of queen termites develop continuously as she grows older. Due to this, a queen termite is able to lay large amounts of eggs. As the queen termite lays her eggs, her abdomen also gets swollen with time.
The life expectancy of termites varies, depending on the species it belongs to. The life expectancy of worker and soldier termites is up to 10 to 14 months. But, the reproductive adult termites live for more than four years; especially the reproductive females or queen termites can live for more than 25 years.
A termite mud tube is a tunnel used by subterranean termites to help protect them from drying out and from predators. These tubes are composed of soil, wood, and saliva. Mud tubes shelter termites while they are working and obtaining substances.