Do you know what the most important member of a termite colony is? It’s not the king, and it’s not the soldiers. It’s the queen! Without her, the colony would die. In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about termite queens.
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Termite Queen Identification
The queen is the most important reproductive member of a termite colony, and she can be easily identified by her large size. Termite queens don’t look very similar to other termites. While queens start their life the same size as any other termite, they quickly change.
Her length is about ten centimeters. She possesses a big white abdomen. To an extent, the abdomen is a hundred times bigger than a typical termite, but the head and leg remain the same size.
The hue of a subterranean termite queen can range from light yellow-brown to black. Secondary reproductives of subterranean species are typically white or very pale in color, similar to the color of the species’ worker termites.
The Role of Termite Queens
The role of the termite queen is to lay eggs. The alates are responsible for breeding with the queen, and they will drop their wings once they have found a suitable location to reside, and the future queen and a male will burrow into the ground to begin reproducing.
The queen’s skin elongates and turns translucent at this phase, offering a glimpse into her egg chamber. She shrinks from the size of a dime to the size of a human finger in a matter of seconds, and her shape no longer resembles that of her subjects.
The termite queen can no longer move once she has reached full size; thus, the entire termite nest is erected around her. While the queen takes care of her children, the worker termites look after her eggs and larvae.
Egg-Laying Process of a Termite Queen
The process of a termite queen laying eggs is very interesting. As she begins to produce eggs, the queen termite’s abdomen expands.
Her abdomen gradually grows many times above its original size, making her immobile and requiring medical attention. She transforms into an egg-laying machine, reliant on the worker termites for her care and food.
For roughly seven to ten years, a queen will lay eggs at her best. A colony of one thousand workers can increase to three hundred thousand workers in around five years due to its rapid rate of reproduction. Termite queens have a twenty-five to thirty-year lifetime.
Finding the Termite Queen
If you’re looking for the termite queen, you’ll likely find her in or near the colony’s egg chamber. The eggs are usually white and elongated. You may also find the queen if you look closely at a damaged area of the wood where the colony is located.
Getting Rid of Termite Queens
If you have a termite queen infestation, it’s important to get rid of her as soon as possible. Termite bait systems are the best way to do this.
These systems use a slow-acting poison that will be carried by termite workers to their nests and have the queen ingest it while she’s caring for her eggs. Once the bait has been ingested, the queen will die, and the colony will eventually collapse.
It is best that you consider hiring a professional pest control service to deal with termite problems because they have the necessary knowledge and equipment to do the job properly.
Don’t try to tackle a termite infestation on your own—you may not be successful, and you could end up making the problem worse.
FAQs About Termite Queens
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about termite queens:
What Happens if You Kill a Termite Queen?
If you kill a termite queen, the workers will start to die off, and the colony will eventually collapse.
Can a Termite Queen Move?
No, a termite queen cannot move once she has reached full size. This is because she becomes an egg-producing member once settled in their colony.
Can We Eat Termite Queen?
The flavor of termites is clearly loved by most people in edible insect-friendly locations of the world. Queen termites are rarely considered edible insects when it comes to termites.
Takeaway
As you can see, termite queens are a vitally important part of the termite colony. They create new colonies and regulate reproduction in their society through pheromones.
We hope this post has given you some insight into all the things you need to know about termite queens. Should you have any more questions in mind, feel free to reach out!