A termite colony is divided into a caste system. And as termites evolve they are assigned to their caste based on the needs of the colony. A termite begins its life cycle when winged productive males and productive females leave their established colonies and begin their swarming mating flight to procreate. After fertilization has taken place these male and female winged termites land and shed their wings. They then move on to become and kings and queens of the new colonies they form, new centers of the termite life cycle, responsible for reproduction.
The Queen Termite
Now that the queen is fertilized she lays her eggs, which then hatch into larvae that is pale and white. These larvae will grow and assume their respective roles in the new termite colony over the course of several molts. There are three castes these termites will become: workers, soldiers, and reproductive, also known as alates.
Different Appearances and Life Spans of Termites
The castes are all different in physical appearance. Worker termites are smaller. Their primary job is to construct tunnels and the chambers of the colony. But they are also responsible for feeding and grooming the other castes. Soldier termites are yellow-brown in color and have dramatically enlarged heads and large mandibles that are useful for combat but render the soldier termite incapable of feeding itself. The reproductive alates are darker in color than the other castes and are born with two pairs of wings. Worker and soldier termites live approximately one to two years. Queen termites can survive for over a decade if the climate conditions are optimal.
Termite Caste Decision
It is unclear how the larvae are relegated to the different castes. Some research indicates that maturity and the colony’s need might dictate the assignment. In fact, castes are not rigidly set – termites that belong to one case may develop into another caste if the colony has a need for it. For example, a soldier termite can become a worker or reproductive alate if the colony is experiencing a shortage of that kind of caste.
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