Termites can be found all over the world, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each type of termite has its own unique characteristics that make it dangerous (or harmless) to humans.
In this blog post, we will explore five types of termites and discuss which castes are most likely to cause damage to your home. By understanding the different types of termites and their traits, you can protect yourself from costly damages caused by these destructive pests.
Table of Contents
Workers
Worker termites are the caste most commonly linked to the destruction of homes and other buildings.
They make up over ninety percent of any given termite colony and can cause serious property damage if they gain access to a structure.
Filling the essential role of foraging for food, worker termites search out organic matter such as wood and leaf litter, but their activities are not limited there. They also tend to the rest of their colony, from building and maintaining tunnels to feeding both the other castes and the queen.
These workers can also be quite specialized, splitting up work into multiple tasks assigned to different groups, and adapting to the environment. (1)
As such, worker termites often enter homes in search of food sources or a place to expand the colony.
Termite workers are the ones hollowing out your floors and walls and causing massive structural damage to your home.
Learn more about Termite Workers >
Soldiers
Termite soldiers are at the forefront of the colony’s defenses, forming an integral part of its strength and resilience. They patrol their territory on a regular basis, searching for possible threats.
These brave insects also alert the rest of their colony if any danger is detected by thumping their heads loudly against objects that can be heard from afar.
Despite their impressive functions in protection, these soldiers actually do not pose a significant threat to homeowners since they are not big enough to harm humans, but also are not able to destroy wood.
They have evolved to fight ants and other small intruders, but are harmless against bigger animals like cats or dogs.
Learn more about Termite Soldiers >
Alates (Swarmers)
Termite alates, better known as swarmers, are a type of termite that plays an important role in the development of a colony. These termites are born into a well-established colony and then fly out during swarm season to form new colonies.
As a homeowner, they pose the biggest threat when they try to start a colony in your house. So if you see winged termites swarming near your home, or see discarded wings near walls, it’s time for a termite inspection!
Once swarmers are present inside the home, they quickly begin building up a colony. They always work in pairs, one becoming the queen of the new colony, the other the king. Within weeks, they have offspring – workers, who will now tirelessly dig through your home to expand the new colony.
Queen & King
The termite queen and king play a crucial role in the formation of a new colony of termites. The queen’s primary job is to reproduce, laying millions of eggs throughout her life that will become the members of her colony.
Meanwhile, the king’s main contribution is providing sperm for the female to create fertile eggs. Together, these two are able to build up a massive termite colony within a few years, reaching up to hundreds of thousands of active termites.
Learn more about the Termite Queen >
Secondary Reproductives
Once a colony is large enough, the termite queen can raise secondary reproductives, which aid her in reproduction. These secondary queens also lay eggs daily to grow their colony, and have their own chambers and workers to take care of them.
Colonies can have over a hundred of these queens, each producing between ten and a few hundred eggs per day. Once an infestation has reached this size, the damage it will cause to a home is massive.
Learn more about reproductive termites >
Conclusion
Termites can be an incredibly destructive force, and it is essential to understand the different types of termite castes in order to protect your home.
Worker termites are responsible for most property damage, while soldier termites guard against threats.
Alates or swarmers initiate new colonies and queens and kings control reproduction within them. Secondary reproductives also help with this process once a colony has reached a certain size.
With knowledge about these different roles comes the power to better combat any potential infestations that may arise in your home. Be sure to regularly inspect both inside and outside of your house for signs of activity so you can take action quickly if needed!
A termite bond is a good way to get your home checked regularly and guarantees free treatments and repairs if necessary.
