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See more on Thermal Imaging Inspections for termites

Termites — Overview 2

See also: Overview | Exterra | Bifenthrin | Premise | Termidor | Annual Inspections | Thermal Imaging | DIY-Detection

Biology of the Termite

Termites have very thin cuticles and are therefore susceptible to the outside extremities They spend most of their lives in the high humidity and temperature conditions within their workings and colony. The relative humidity in a colony is approximately 100%.

Termites will explore outside when the humidity is similar of that within their workings, only then is it safe to do so. It is for this reason that termites will avoid coming into contact with the outside environment, often concealing their activity or building galleries to access food sources that would normally require them to reveal themselves.

Termite Castes

Termites exist in a colony in several forms or castes, each of which has particular structures and functions related to the survival and maintenance of the colony.

The Queen

The main purpose of the Queen is to reproduce in the early beginning of the colony the Queen tends her young together with the king until her workers are numerous enough to take over the duty. Some queens can live as long as 20 years and are fertilized at intervals by the king during this period. In some species of termites the abdomen of the Queen becomes distended a condition called Physogastry (swelling of the abdomen with eggs).

When the Queen becomes aged or dies reproductive's are selected these become Supplementary reproductive's or Neotenics. These Queens are not from Atalates but are chosen from the reproduced castes, they are not as prolific breeders as the original queens so several are usually selected from one Queen.

The King

The King fertilizes the Queen at intervals, and similarly to the queen is cared for by the workers, a supplementary can be selected from the reproductive's.

The king is usually located in the royal chamber of the colony near the queen. he can be distinguished by smaller mandibles and a darker shading across the abdomen, thorax and head.

The Workers

these are of great numbers in the colony up to millions can be produced. Workers are blind and are responsible for the damage to millions of homes across Australia every year.

There are many duties that the workers are responsible for, these are; Gathering food, Feeding the young, repairing the damage, tending and feeding the royal couple.

Workers are white, this is mainly due to their thin cuticle.

The Soldiers

The Soldier termites are the protectors of the colony, they are identified by their larger orange or brown heads. The mandibles of the soldier termite are also large.

Soldiers similarly to the worker castes are females and males that have not developed their sexual characteristics, and they are white due to their lack of cuticle. soldiers are often seen in numerous quantities with the worker castes.

The Reproductive’s or Alates

These are the castes with which have fully developed there sexual characteristics, the future kings and queens of another colony. The Alates have fully developed outer cuticles which means that unlike the under developed worker and soldier castes they can resist the outside environment.

The Alate can be identified by full wings that are longer than the body as well as darker coloration along the head, thorax and abdomen. Reproductive's can be chosen to carry on the colony if the present queen or king is dying or degenerated, then they become Neotecnics or Substitute Reproductive's.

The Nymphs

Not all colonies have an actual worker caste, in primitive species the Nymph or undeveloped termite act as the worker, these will do the duties of the worker until the last stage of growth in which will determine if they are soldiers or reproductive's.

The nymph is basically the larvae or juvenile stage of the termites life cycle.

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