What Do Termites Look Like? Identify 3 Distinct Castes Of Termites

You must know what do termites look like to identify them. Termites are one of the most destructive pests on earth. Therefore, eliminating termites can help us prevent severe damage. According to the survey, Americans spend billions of dollars to cover termite damage.

Many different types of termites can infest your house. Therefore, you need to know at least the common types of termites as well as what they look like.

There are different castes of termites in a colony, such as workers, soldiers, and swarmers. The swarmers are usually the queen and the king of a colony and they are the flying termites. Additionally, there are secondary reproductive termites as well. The extermination of the entire colony and stopping the process of termite reproduction can be accomplished by identifying swarmers.

Identifying and exterminating termites both require an understanding of the termite cycle. If you can identify termite eggs at an early stage, you will be able to exterminate them before they do the damage. However, you need to be aware of how termite eggs look. In this discussion, we’ll explain how termites look in their different life cycles and what distinct types of termites are there.

Distinct Castes Of Termites In A Colony:

There are usually three different types of termites in a colony: reproductive termites, worker termites, and soldier termites. Termites pictures will show you all of these different castes.

1. Reproductive termites

The reproductive termite is also known as a winged termite or a flying termite. People often ask, do termites fly?  The swarmers do have the ability to fly. Some termites cannot fly due to a lack of wings. An adult reproductive termite starts a new colony after finding its mate and maturity. Since they can establish colonies, they must be eliminated during the extermination. They are also called termite kings or queens. By removing the termite queen or king, the process of extermination is nearly completed because you have prevented the reproduction of termites.

We know swarmer termites have wings and they can fly, but after they find their mate, they break their wings. You can see termite swarmers without wings as well. They have two straight antennae in front of their faces. Furthermore, they have a straight stomach. Unlike carpenter ants with wings, they have 4 wings of equal size. Termite swarmers are usually darker in color than other termites.

2. Worker termites

The workers in a colony play an important role in the colony’s growth. Termite larvae are usually similar to them. Moreover, you would recognize them if you had seen maggots. The worker termite is responsible for feeding the larvae and arranging food in the colony.

Their colors are typically light brown and white. In contrast with swarmers, worker termites are generally lighter-colored.

3. Soldier termites

Soldier termites, as their name suggests, protect a colony from different threads. Many people ask if termites bite well; these are the termites that can bite humans if they feel threatened. Their heads are distinctively shaped. Furthermore, soldier termites are larger than worker termites. They are usually white and brown. More information about termites can be found by viewing our termite pictures.

What Do Termites Look Like: 3 Steps Of Termite Life Cycle:

For you to identify a termite’s look, you must also know about its life cycle. Thus, you can identify termites at any stage of their life cycle. You can also identify termites if you can identify the signs of termites, such as termite drooping, mud tubes, and damaged wood.

• Termite Eggs

Termites have very tiny eggs because they are so small. When you see eggs together, they will look like white powder. Termite eggs hatch in two weeks. As termite queens can lay millions of eggs in their lifetime, you need to identify termite eggs so they do not grow.

• Termite Larvae

Baby termites are called termite larvae. The termites look like worker termites, but they are smaller. They look the same as mature worker termites when they grow up, unlike other pests. When termite larvae grow, they become workers or soldiers of a colony, and only a few become swarmers or reproductive termites. They resemble maggots.

• Mature Termites

As termites mature, they are assigned different tasks. Workers arrange food for the colony. The soldier termite is responsible for guarding and swarmers reproducing termite colonies. Most of the pictures of termites you see online are mature termites.

Different Termite’s Appearance:

1. What do flying termites look like?

Flying termites are swarmers that leave the nest in search of a mate and start their colony. In a colony, they are usually very few. It has four wings of the same size, a straight stomach, and straight antennae.  Typically, they are brown and black. Moreover, they break their wings when they find their mate and start their colony.

2. What do baby termites look like?

Baby termites resemble maggots. With the naked eye, they look like rice grains that are moving. Unlike other insects, baby termites look like mature worker termites. A single baby termite is hard to identify because they are usually very small in size.

3. What do subterranean termites look like?

Soil termites are usually known as subterranean termites. Under the soil, they live and build their nests. The swarmers of subterranean termites are usually dark brown and black in color and other workers and soldiers are light in color. You can identify subterranean termites through mud tubes.

4. What do Drywood termites look like?

Termites make their nest in wooden stuff and live in Drywood. They are usually cream-colored. Termite dropping is a good indicator to identify Drywood termites. Moreover, damaged wood can also be a sign of Drywood termites in your home.

5. What do dead termites look like?

Mostly when termites die, other insects eat termites. Still, if there are some termite’s dead bodies remain you can see them and they look the same as when they were alive.

6. What Do Termites Look Like: Flying Ants vs Termites:

Carpenter ants are one of the biggest ants that can fly as well. Both termites and carpenter ants with wings are the queen and king of the colony. They fly and find their mate to start the colony. If we compare flying ant vs termite then there is a difference in shape. Termites have equal wings and ants have 2 small and two large wings. Also, they both have antennae but termite antennae are straight and ant antennae are in elbow shape. Moreover, the ant stomach is pitched and the termite stomach is straight.

People Also Asks:

• What do termites look like to the human eye?

Termites are very small insects. However, reproductive termites tend to be larger. Therefore, they can be seen with the naked eye. You can even see worker termites and larvae with the naked eye if they are grouped. Otherwise, it will be difficult to locate them. A termite looks like a carpenter ant. Worker termites resemble maggots. Termite larvae resemble other insect larvae and together they resemble rice grains that are moving.

• How do you identify termites?

Termites can be identified in several ways.  There are now different types of termites, such as subterranean termites and Drywood termites. Look for mud tubes to identify subterranean termites since they use mud tubes to travel. For Drywood termites to be identified, look for Termite droppings that resemble dust.

• What bugs can be mistaken for termites?

Several bugs resemble termites. Particularly termite larvae and other insect larvae have much in common. However, larvae keep changing their appearance as they grow. Carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and acrobat ants can be mistaken for termites.

• What are the signs of termites in your home?

There are several signs through which you can identify termites in your house. However, to identify the level of infestation you need professional services. Termite dropping, mud tubes, damaged wood are the most common signs to identify termites larvae. If you have these signs and you are confused as well, contact a professional or call a pest control company to do the inspection.

• What attracts termites to a home?

A home that has been closed for a long time can become a safe place for termites to grow. Furthermore, a poorly ventilated or moist area is a very attractive place for termites. When buying a new home, always check the ventilation, otherwise, you will face termites, as well as other insects.

• Can the naked eye see termites?

With your naked eye, you can easily spot reproductive-winged termites. However, it is difficult to spot workers and larvae. The larvae and workers of termites can be seen in groups, but non-professionals may have difficulty identifying them because they look just like many other insects.

• Can termites bite humans?

Termites, especially soldier termites, can bite humans when they feel threatened. However, since they are non-toxic insects to humans, they do not cause any diseases. Termites have not been linked to any disease or death. However, termites can bite human skin.

• How do you kill termites?

Termites can be killed with a variety of professional and DIY solutions. A pest control company offers a variety of termite extermination procedures to kill termites, such as tent fumigation, bait stations, soil treatment, and wood treatment. After the infestation level is identified, all the necessary procedures are followed. Furthermore, You can make your termiticide spray using detergent, tide soap, and salt for the specific spot termite treatment.

• How fast do termites spread?

Termites spread fast. The termite queen can lay millions of eggs in her lifetime and an egg can hatch in two weeks. You can now imagine how fast termites can spread in your house. Therefore, whenever you identify termites in your house, you should always take action. Furthermore, termites never go on their own. If you want to get rid of termites, you need to do the treatment.

• What do you do if you see termites?

If you see termites, do the treatment. Otherwise, they will cause damage. It is hard for a non-professional to identify the level of infestation. Therefore, you should call a termite control company that can help you identify the infestation and exterminate termites. If the infestation is only on a specific spot and not severe, you can do the treatment on your own using DIY solutions.

• How can you tell the difference between termites and ants?

Termites and ants differ in several ways. First of all, termites have straight antennae, while ants have elbowed antennae. The second difference is that termites have thick waists and ants have pinched waste. Third, termites have the same size wings; on the other hand, ants have two large and two small wings.

• Are there any black termites?

Subterranean termite swarmers are often black. However, Drywood termites do not usually have a very dark black color. Different species of termites are typically white or brown. Moreover, swarmers are mostly darker in color and workers are light in color.

Conclusion:

Now you know, what do termites look like in their different life stages. You will be able to identify termites more easily. Do you know? Only US citizens spend billions of dollars just to cover the termite damage. Therefore, we are happy to share termite’s information so you can identify them and get rid of them as soon as possible. Share this information with your family and friends so they can avoid termite damage. You can also contact pest control companies if you are having difficulty identifying termites in your house. Some companies offer free termite inspections. As long as you can control termites at an early stage, you can prevent damage. A severe infestation, however, will be hard to treat, and the damage will be hard to control. If you have a severe infestation of termites in your home, you can contact a pest control company, they will find a treatment.