Do Termites Need a Queen?
WouterTermite colonies have multiple castes. There are workers, breeding alates, and reproductives. The reproductives are the future queens and kings of the colony. They are responsible for producing eggs and delivering them to the main nest. They tend to the first batch of young, which are called nymphs.
Termite colonies also have secondary reproductives. These are smaller, lighter-colored, and wingless. They can mate with the primary queen, but lack the king’s genetic input. They are used as a backup plan in case the primary queen dies. They are largely found in satellite nests.
A large termite colony can grow to more than 300,000 workers in five years. In some species, this may be done by asexual reproduction. A female termite queen can lay up to thousands of eggs a day, even when she is very old. During her lifetime, she can live for 70 years or more.
A termite colony has a central chamber. This is where the queen, king, and workers spend time. The chamber is usually several feet underground. During the mating season, the king and queen will mate and settle down to start a family.
A worker tends the eggs of the queen and carries them to a hatching chamber. She also helps in cleaning the nest. When the queen dies, the worker caste will take care of her.
A queen termite has an enormous abdomen and a small head. Her skin is translucent and stretched. Under her abdomen, a white membrane pulsates with liquid. Her skin is hairless. During the mating season, she produces thousands of eggs a day.
