How Small Can Termites Be?
WouterTermites can be hard to detect, so knowing the size of your termite problem can be difficult. If you suspect that you have a termite infestation, it is a good idea to take some precautionary measures to keep your home free of termites.
In general, termites are very small. Depending on the species, they can range from 1/8 of an inch to one inch in length. They are a bit like ants. They don’t bite people or animals, but they can chew through your hardwood floors and wallpaper for years.
There are four life stages of termites. The youngest, the larva, is tiny. It grows into a tiny worker and later a larger, reproductive termite. When a termite enters its adult stage, it is approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.
There are three castes in a termite colony: workers, reproductives, and alates. Workers and reproductives are usually found in the nest. A queen may live up to 50 years. In a well-established colony, there may be secondary reproductives, too. A reproductive termite has wings, which it uses to fly. The wings are longer than its body.
Termite eggs are tiny, and the resulting larvae are white. During a few weeks, the larvae grow into the termite worker. During the reproductive stage, the termite is about an inch in length.
Reproductives can be up to 3/4 of an inch in length. When a reproductive queen mates with a male, they will produce alates. The alates can grow to a length of about 5/8 of an inch.
