How Long Do Termites Live in Wood?
WouterTermites are an insect that can cause significant damage to human structures. There are at least 50 different species of termites in the United States. The termites live in colonies that contain several types of workers. These workers are responsible for gathering food and caring for baby termites. They also construct shelter tubes and pheromones to guide other workers.
When the colony starts to grow, reproductive termites begin laying eggs. These eggs will hatch into larvae. These larvae are tube-shaped and have a soft white body. They are fed regurgitated food for the first two weeks of their life. After that, they will die.
The worker termites do the most work for the colony. They feed other termites and build shelter tubes. They also collect food and pheromones to guide and lead other workers. Some nymphs develop into swarmers and soldiers. These swarmers fly away in the spring to find mates. Some swarmers will die.
These swarmers are the most visible signs of a termite infestation. They usually emerge from the nest in large groups. They have two pairs of wings and lie flat on their abdomen when not in use.
They are not very good fliers, so they will usually remain aloft for an hour or less. After that, they will perish from exposure to other termite-eating critters. They are three eighths of an inch long and have similar thorax and abdomen widths.
Termite nymphs shed their wings three to four times before becoming adults. They can revert back to being workers if they have wing buds.
