The life cycle of the termite begins with a mating flight. Swarming winged reproductive males and females fly out of established colonies. After fertilization, winged termite will rest on the ground, shed their wing and establish a new colony. These insects commonly become king or queen in their colony. King and queen are the center of termite life cycle and take responsibility to breed.

Termite are social insects and termite society is managed by hierarchy. Their mission is establishing a miniature society. After the queen lay her eggs, these eggs will hatch to larvae which is pale white in color. King and queen devolve their members by emitting pheromones when the eggs hatch. After some molting, these larvae develop and become one of three segments in the colony: worker, soldier and swarming termite (or winged termite).

Each segment has a different appearance. Workers take responsibilities to build tunnel and cranny. In addition, they also find food and take care of other members in the colony. Soldier are yellowish – brown in color with strangely big heads and jaws. They are very useful in battles but they also make these soldiers not eat themselves and they have workers fed to live. Winged termites are capable of breeding which are darker in color and have two pairs of wing.

In fact, the research showed that the segment classification in termite life cycle is not fixed, termites belong to a segment can take on the mission of others if necessary. Therefore, a soldier can be a worker or a winged termite.

Workers and soldiers can live from one to two years. A queen can live over a decade with an ideal condition. Termite life cycle includes many stages, from the queen lays her eggs: egg, larvae and adult.

Termite eggs

Termite eggs look like caviar but their size is much smaller than caviar: small, white, pale and ellipse – shaped. The first litter is about 24 eggs. The queen has an incredibly long life and they lay eggs all their life.

Termite eggs are big that can be seen with the naked eyes. However, they are laid in protective areas such as in walls or underground, it is rarely found by human. Although egg is the first stage of their life cycle and a basis that forms termite colony. We don’t usually use it as a sign of termite infestation. Adults, winged termites as well as mud tunnels or sawdust are popular signs of termite infestation. Read more “The signs of termite invasion”.

Termite larvae

Young termites are called larvae and different from larvae of other pantamorphia insects. Eggs need some weeks to hatch. Their size is as big as their egg and they are become workers. Similar to other young insects, termite larvae have to pass through many instars.

Termite life span?

Although termites live underground and have risks of fungi and predator destruction, they live quite long. Many research showed that workers and soldiers can live from 1 to 2 years. The queen can live in some century with ideal climate. Read more “Interesting things about the Termite Queen”.

Termite colony can exist in all the queen’s life or more, so that when the queen die, the colony continues widening. Subterranean termites, which have about one billion individuals in the colony, can damage wood seriously.