Termites 101

Where Do Termites Live and Eat?

Termites live in colonies that can range in size from only a few hundred to several million in the largest termite colonies. They are eusocial, which means they care for each other. Within termite colonies, individual termites are divided into distinct groups called castes. Each caste — the workers, soldiers and reproductives — has a designated role, complete with specialized tasks, all of which are essential to a well-functioning colony. 

• Workers: Worker termites make up the majority of every termite colony. They are blind and sterile. Their responsibilities are all of the daily work that occurs in the colony, from gathering food to constructing mud tunnels and making any necessary tunnel repairs. It is estimated that only around 20% of the workers venture outside of the main colony foraging for food while the rest remain in the colony. For example, some workers even feed the soldier termites and care for the queen and eggs. There are even “undertakers” that remove any dead insects! 
• Soldiers: Soldier termites are produced only when the colony reaches a healthy size. They have one job: to protect the colony from any outside threats. Like workers, soldiers are blind and sterile, but have large pinchers on their jaws that are attached to large, orange heads. Those heads and pinchers are so big, they can’t feed themselves and rely on the workers to feed them.
• Reproductives: These termite colony members are also known as alates, swarmers, and sometimes queens and kings. When a healthy colony is ready — usually when the season and rain quantity are ideal — the winged alates fly out of their colonies to find mates. Once they mate, their wings drop off and they begin new colonies of their own. They will never leave their nest again.

Different species construct different types of colonies. They can be elaborate, with many tunnels, galleries and chambers. Subterranean termites build their nests underground and require contact with damp soil. The main nests may be quite a ways from their food source. Estimates vary, but it is safe to say they can easily travel more than 100 ft to find food.

The invasive Formosan subterranean termites can also form “carton nests” when they have contact with suitably damp wood. These nests are made from wood fibers, saliva and fecal material — and look a bit like a stack of very wet newsprint. These are some of the most challenging colonies to find, since they are often found inside walls and can be high up in the home, sometimes in attics.

Drywood termites will nest anywhere there is wood and do not necessarily need contact with soil. Dampwood termites, on the other hand, need wood with lots of moisture.

Termites feed on dead plant material, particularly wood. While it seems as though termites are eating the wood in homes, businesses, trees, and other structures, they are actually consuming the cellulose that the wood contains. Termites have special microorganisms in their guts that break down the cellulose and allow them to absorb the nutrients. Without those microorganisms, the termites would starve to death.