Termite Colonies

Most hive insects only have a single queen whereas termites have several termite queens in multiple colonies.There is a main queen, with possible secondary queens within a colony and it is her duty to expand and oversea the colony. Queen termites are identifiable by there noticabley larger bodies, extended abdomens, and their singular ability to lay prodigious amounts of eggs.

Every termite colony has to have a balance of the type of termites that are needed for each individual function, the cleaning of the termite nests, the cleaning of the nest, the laying of eggs, the collection of food. The termite life cycle begins with all termites starting out as nymphs they quickly develop into the category of termite that the colony needs. There are sex pheromones in the nest which act as a trigger to produce the type of termite needed. The types of termite produced are not always the same as the queens can live for over fifty years if the conditions are correct, but the workers tend to live for only a year or two. Termites can be vulnerable and the workers are the first line of attack to be sacrificed when defending the termite colony.

Generally termite eggs are not visible as they are laid in dark nests hidden from human eyes and those of their predators. If they could be seen they are translucent a white yellow and minute.

Again because the nest is hidden the larva are not often seen, but if they were to be visible they are minute translucent termites, with all the physical attributes common to termites.

Often termite nests are not visible until the termite colony has been well established, so once termite signs are visible it is too late to eradicate the nest. Termite droppings, looking like a grain of sugar in size are brown and dry and they are often seen first. Also laying tracks in wood to travel in safety, they rarely travel outside without cover because that would mean that they are vulnerable to predators. Hollowed out wood with a hollow ring can be a sign of termites, and certainly needs investigating because even if it is not a termite colony you need to get to the bottom of the cause. Sometimes bubbling paintwork or piles of sawdust or mud are also visible as they act as camouflage for the termites to travel.

Droppings that usually appear brown and dry, in piles and are no bigger than a sugar granule are a sign of drywood termite infestation. Termite Droppings show up at the bottom of a portion of wood that the insects live in, where they have created a hole to kick it out of.

Wood can be treated naturally and cheaply to deter termites and natural deterrents are boric acid, or borax. . Concentrated orange oil also leaves the wood tasting bitter and this tends to deter the termites and consequently stop them from nesting or eating the wood.

Termites specifically are partial to common hardwoods and conifers and are less excited by Redwood, Western Cedar, Teak, Tallowwood, Neem Tree relatives, and multiple Japanese species. It can be problematic to use these woods exclusively but is optimal when possible.

Termites are social insects, always together and a single sighting of a termite is rare unless it is a termite looking to establish a new nest, where there is one termite there is an army behind it.