Termites have been around for over 250 million years. They are social insects and live in colonies which are usually located in the ground or in wood. Termites feed on the cellulose from wood and wood products like paper. They are usually divided into 3 groups based on colony location: drywood, dampwood and subterranean termites. Termites have the 3 broadly joined body regions (head, thorax, & abdomen) with no constrictions, this is a significant way to separate termites and ants.
Subterranean termites have 3 castes: worker, soldier and reproductive. Termites have simple metamorphosis: egg, nymph and adult.
Workers are separated into 2 groups: true workers who are sterile and functional workers who are either male or female. These functional workers have the ability to molt back into nymphs, which can then develop into soldiers, swarmmers or secondary reproductives according to the colony's needs. Workers maintain the colony, construct and repair the nest and forage and feed the entire colony. Older nymphs also forage and help take care of the young.
Soldiers are sterile and have one function - to protect the colony! The extra enlargement of the head and manibles is such that they must be feed by the nymphs or workers.
Reproductives include the primary and secondary reproductives.The primary reproductives are the King & Queen which werethe swarmers that started the colony. The King & Queen mate regularily. The Queen may live up to 30 years or more.

Return to
Bug Exhibits

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page