How Long is a termite lifespan?
An in-depth examination of the termite life cycle
Termites live for how long? That is not an easy question to answer.
The life span of a termite is determined by its position in the colony's social order. Termite life cycles vary greatly between species, ranging from two to fifty years.
The Termite Life Cycle
For a termite, it all starts when the queen lays the egg. She lays a lot of eggs every day – queen termites of some termite species can lay up to 30,000 eggs per day.
The life cycle of a termite begins when it hatches as a nymph, or immature termite. Termites then mature and eventually fall into a position within the termite social structure.
These social classes include workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals all the way up to the queen of a termite colony.
The queen uses pheromones that she always keeps within the colony to control and suppress the development of other queens in the colony.
The colony's growth can outstrip the queen termite's ability to lay eggs. She may allow a small number of nymphs to develop into secondary or supplemental queens at this point. This allows the colony to thrive and continue to grow.
When the queen dies or a portion of the nest is separated from her, new queens emerge because the pheromone that she maintained is no longer present. This ensures that the colony will continue to exist long after the queen has died.
The Queen will live forever.
Eastern subterranean termite queens, the most common species found in the United States, can live up to 30 years, but a 15- to 17-year life span is more common.
A queen's life span can be up to 50 years in some African termite species, but only 10 to 12 years in others, such as drywood termites. In general, worker termites have a lifespan of about two years.
Termites are a nuisance no matter what type they are or where they are in the termite life cycle. If you believe you have discovered a termite or termite damage, please contact us right away.
Drywood termites can cause significant damage to many homeowners, particularly those in the southeastern, southwestern, and western United States, as well as Hawaii. Drywood termites, unlike their subterranean counterparts, do not build their nests in the soil. Rather, they nest in actual wood, which can include your home's lumber or even furniture.
Finding termite droppings or frass is one sign that you may have drywood termites in your home. Learn how to recognize frass so that you can contact A1 Pest Masters as soon as you suspect you have a pest problem.
What exactly is a frass?
Termite droppings are referred to as "frass." But you're probably more interested in learning how to recognize frass. Drywood termites, as you may have guessed, live inside wood. That means they'll need to find a place to dump their termite droppings. They obviously do not want to travel through tunnels filled with their own excrement.
Drywood termites “flush” their droppings away by chewing kick-out holes through which they can push their excrement. This clears the way for their tunnels. It also produces frass, which can resemble sawdust, fine grains of sand, or small piles of salt and pepper on your floor.
What are some other termite warning signs?
Frass, mud tubes, wood damage, and discarded wings are some of the termite signs you might find in your home. The signs you see in your home will vary according to the termite species. Homeowners, on the other hand, are not always aware of these.
Furthermore, termites may have been nesting in your home — and wreaking havoc — for years without leaving any evidence. As a result, it is critical to have a termite protection plan in place that includes regular inspections.
If you're wondering how to tell if you have termites, consider this expert research on how they form new colonies and lay termite eggs. Let's hope it's not near your house.
A swarm is the beginning of a new colony. Winged swarmer termites emerge from more mature colonies and fly away from the safety of their home colony to try to establish a new one. They don't look back.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of termite swarmers may attempt this flight, but only a few will survive. According to the Texas A&M University Department of Entomology, the odds are pretty slim: "Termites are weak fliers and must rely on wind currents to carry them to new habitats." Only a small percentage of swarmers survive to form colonies; the majority are preyed upon by birds, toads, insects, and other predators, and many die from dehydration or injury.”
The presence of swarmers indicates that a termite colony has gained access to your home, and a professional should be called for a thorough inspection.
A king and queen will begin to reproduce among the survivors. “When successful reproductive pairs land, they lose their wings and seek shelter under rocks or other moist materials. Before mating, a pair will build a very small nest. The new queen termite lays only a few eggs at first. According to the Texas A&M University Department of Entomology, “the male stays with the female and helps care for developing eggs and larva that hatch.”
Termite eggs cannot survive without the care and support of the colony they were born into, but the colony's ability to survive is lost without them.
The majority of these termite eggs will hatch into termite workers, destroying wood as they search for food and bring it back to the colony. These are the villains. “Termites are an economically significant problem because of the damage caused by the worker caste.” When inspecting your home for termite infestation, look for mud tunnels built by worker termites as they search for food.
The majority of these termite eggs will hatch into termite workers, destroying wood as they search for food and bring it back to the colony. These are the villains. “Termites are an economically significant problem because of the damage caused by the worker caste.” When inspecting your home for termite infestation, look for mud tunnels built by worker termites as they search for food.
While there are some do-it-yourself methods you can try, consulting professionals like us is the most effective — and long-lasting — solution to getting rid of termites. Call A1 Pest Masters right away at (773) 365-9962 for a termite inspection and don't give these intruders a chance to colonize!