Termites are primitive insects. They appear ant like in their body structure and have often been called “white ants“, although they are not related to the ant. Termites thrive in colonies much similar to the way that a bee does. There is queen and king of the colony. It is speculative if the queen mates only with the king. A queen termite appears quite differently than other termites in the colony due to her extended abdomen. This occurs to the additional set of ovaries that the queen develops each time that she molts.

The characteristics of worker and soldier termites vary somewhat. Worker termites may appear milky in color at both the head and abdomen. Soldier termites are most usually identified by their large mandibles that are a darker color in comparison to the rest of their bodies. Soldier termites are typically amber in color.

Termites characteristically have have a small thorax that gives way to a broad abdomen. Their two antennae are segmented in appearance. The shape of a termite’s head will depend on the insect’s caste function. Soldier termites are generally larger in size and darker in color when compared to their worker termite counterparts. Only winged termites reproduce. Both sets of wings are the same size.  If you were to look at a termite picture and compare it to an ant the differences would be obvious.  But looking at them normally, given their small size, can sometimes make identification difficult.

These home wrecking pests typically range from as little as 1/8 inch to 3/8 inch in length. Queens however, may range anywhere from 2 inches to 5 inches in length, although this usually depends on the type of dwelling they inhabit.

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