Termites are one of the most feared household pests in the US, and the best way to protect against them is with the right knowledge.
Dispel common myths about baby termites with these facts – because despite popular fears, termite babies are completely harmless.
But at the same time, if you ever see them, it’s time to go all-in with treatment.
Table of Contents
1. Baby Termites are called Larvae
First, the basics: The correct name for baby termites is termite larvae or nymphs. They are still commonly called “baby termites” because it’s just easier to call any newborn animal a baby than memorize the correct terms for every species.
2. Termites don’t have Babies
Similarly, a common question is how many babies termites can have. But they don’t – only the queen lays eggs that hatch into baby termites. Common termites cannot reproduce at all.
However, the Termite Queen makes up for that with a very productive lifestyle – laying eggs is literally all she does all day, every day.
3. The Termite Queen lays between 10 and 20.000 eggs per day
While some extreme numbers are often cited, the average Termite Queen only lays between 10 and 20 eggs per day in a new colony, and up to around 100 in an established colony.
However, once the colony is large enough, the queen can choose to give birth to reproductive termites, secondary queens. These will also lay eggs and bump up the total egg production for the colony.
Learn about this fascinating system, and where these extreme claims come from, in our article about Termite Egg Facts & Myths.
4. Termite Babies look like worms – but also don’t
The most common comparison is that termite babies look like maggots – tiny, white creepy insects. However, if you look more closely, they actually look quite different. They have a separate head and legs – maggots and worms have neither.
Baby termites resemble ants more closely, but have less distinct separation between body parts than ants do.
5. Termite Babies can’t move or eat
Remember: Newborn termites are pretty useless. Baby termites cannot move fast – they can barely move at all. They also can’t jump or fly – so if you see tiny white insects move, jump, or fly, they are likely not termites.
Termite babies can’t even eat wood, they need to be fed pre-digested wood from other worker termites. Their digestive system is not yet able to extract the cellulose from wood and turn it into food.
Baby termites are also harmless – their mandibles are still too small and delicate to bite. Not even fully grown worker termites are known to bite humans, though – only soldier termites are able to do that.
6. Baby Termites can grow wings
While baby termites are always born without wings, some of them can grow wings as they mature. Once a year, just before swarm season, some of the termite larvae are designated to become Alates – winged termites that will leave the colony and swarm. Their goal is finding a good location to start a new colony, but most will fail at it.
7. Baby Termites hatch all the time
Unlike many other animals, termites don’t follow any seasons otherwise – the queen lays eggs every single day, and after around 3-4 weeks, these eggs hatch into baby termites.
This process starts within days of a new colony, and won’t stop – ever. Termite queens can lay eggs for about 10 years before they start slowing down, but they will continue doing their job until they die.
Conclusion
While the idea of an oversized termite queen laying eggs day in day out might sound terrifying, the baby termites themselves are quite harmless.
Still, if you ever see them: Act fast. As you now know, termite colonies can grow quickly and silently – while they are eating your home inside-out.
The best way to deal with termites is with professional treatment – unlike many other pests, DIY treatment rarely stops a termite infestation.
Common Questions
Do baby termites jump?
Baby termites cannot jump, they can barely even walk. Like human babies, they can’t do much of anything, which is why termite babies are nurtured and fed by worker termites.
What do baby termites eat?
Baby termites need to eat cellulose, just like all termites, but they can’t digest wood yet – so baby termites receive and eat pre-digested wood by worker termites.
If you use termite bait traps, the poisoned wood can reach baby termites because of this – the workers bring the poison home from the trap to the colony, and may feed some of it to the newborn termites.
Do baby termites bite?
No, baby termites won’t bite you, as their mandibles are not yet strong enough. Even grown worker termites will not bite you – only soldier termites might bite if they feel threatened. Since they are very small and not meant to fight mammals or humans, their bites are completely harmless.
