How Are Termites Formed?
WouterA termite’s life cycle involves several stages. First, there are reproductives and alates. These are the future king and queen termites. They are destined to take over the colony once the queen dies.
Reproductives begin by laying a few eggs. After a few days, they start to mate. At that point, they will form a new colony. Their young will grow into nymphal workers. They will then start a new den with the mate. The nymphs will forage on nearby cellulose material.
After a few weeks, they will transform into nymphs. They will molt two times. They will regurgitate food in the process. This helps them develop into soldiers. They will also use pheromones to guide other workers.
After a few months, the nymphs will develop into fully mature termites. They will be wingless, but they will start to form a new colony. These reproductives can live up to 10 to 15 years.
After a few years, they will produce thousands of eggs. In the early stages of a colony, the queen will lay just a few. However, over time, she will lay thousands of eggs a day.
In order to survive, these termites need to forage. During their nymphal stage, they tunnel through soil and wood. These mud tubes allow them to move between the colony and their food source. In some species, there are special gut organisms that break down cellulose into sugars.
When a colony becomes large enough, it can become self-sufficient. This type of colony is called a satellite colony. These colonies can also break off into their own colonies.
