How Much Does a Termite Weigh?
WouterThe total weight of termites is 445 million tons. That’s nearly 300 times more than the total weight of all humans on earth.
Termites are a primitive insect, closely related to cockroaches. They have a hemimetabolous life cycle, which means that they pass through several stages.
They live in social groups, with a division of labor between castes. They can be found throughout the world. The size of a termite ranges from 0.0008 inches to 0.002 inches. The smallest are worker termites, which are pale and milky. They can consume wood 24 hours a day.
The queen, a female termite, is the largest. She is responsible for all the colonies. She may be able to produce several colonies in her lifetime. She can live up to 25 years. She can lay up to 150 million eggs.
The colony is built underground or above the ground. It is often constructed in a well-drained area. The mounds are typically three stories high and can reach 30 feet in height. The termite colony can grow to be very large, and it can become out of control.
The termite life cycle begins with an egg. It then continues with a larva, nymph, and finally a drone. The duration of each instar depends on the environmental conditions and available resources. Some reproductive termites may molt more than once. The fat content of late instar nymphs is 18 percent.
There are over two thousand species of termites around the globe. There are 45 species in the United States. The average lifespan of termites is between 15 and 25 years. Some queens can lay up to tens of thousands of termite eggs a day.
