What Size Are Termites?
WouterTermites are small, social insects that live in colonies. They are commonly found in warm, humid areas. They are a major problem for properties, and they can cause a lot of damage without being noticed. They eat cellulose products, such as wood, cardboard, and roots. They are usually a whitish or light brown in color.
They are often confused with ants, but there are distinct differences. For instance, termites have three body parts. There is a thorax and abdomen, as well as a pair of wings.
A worker is the most basic building block of a colony. The average length is about one eighth of an inch. The thorax is curved. The abdominal region is large and egg-producing. The worker will grow in size as it ages.
Termites have three main castes, the king, queen, and workers. A king is a male. He is responsible for the evolution of a successful termite colony. The queen is the female. She will lay eggs to sustain the colony’s growth.
Termite colony sizes vary greatly. They can have as many as 2 million members. The size of the colony depends on the specific species. A common species of termite is the western subterranean termite. It can have colonies of 1/8 to 3/8 inches in diameter.
Another common species is the Pacific dampwood termite. It can have workers and soldiers that are as long as five eighths of an inch. It is the largest termite species in the United States.
