The most common pest that infests homes, offices, and even entire buildings are Termites. Termites are great survivors as they have to protect themselves and their colonies from several predators. Their infestation is not visible until it spreads far and wide. Some colonies of termites can consist of a million of them depending upon the species. The least number of termites you can expect from a typical colony is in hundred thousand.
We need to understand this pest because it causes annual damage worth billions of dollars. Termites’ full-grown infestation is impossible to control without the help of professional pest control experts. Termites usually live under the ground or inside the wood. Therefore, it becomes more difficult to kill or deter them using DIY methods.
That doesn’t mean you should not try any preventive strategies for termite infestation. Read on to find out all about the life-cycle of termites.
Life-Cycle Of Termites
There are more than twenty thousand species of termites known to humans. Out of all the species, around 3100 are found in Canada. To better understand the life-cycle of termites, we first need to break down the structure of their colonies.
The Structure Of A Termite Colony
Termite colonies work in a hierarchical system. There are swarmers, soldiers, and workers in termites similar to that of the ants.
The swarmers, as the name suggests, are responsible for reproduction. The swarmer termites are the winged termites, and their main job is to look for safer areas to set up new colonies. The presence of swarmer termites in your house is definitely something to be worried about. Swarmer termites do not appear unless there is a heavy infestation. You immediately need to contact professional pest controllers once you spot the flying termites in your house.
Then there are worker termites who have a big responsibility of setting up the colonies. These termites are sterile and therefore do not engage in any reproductive activity. They have one thing on their schedule, and that is establishing better and sustainable colonies.
Finally, the most important members of a termite colony – soldier termites are responsible for the security of the termite colony. These termites also don’t engage in reproduction, nor do they eat the wood. They protect the termites that extract the cellulose from the wood for food. Soldier termites also alert the worker termites inside the colony for any dangers by banging their heads against tunnel walls.
Termite queen is the one who gets to live the most years. In some very protected and remote termites colonies, a queen can live up to staggering 50 years. This fact also tells us that other termites can also pull off a lifespan of around 10 to 20 years if they are protected well. It all depends on how long a termite colony is hidden and safe from predators or humans.
Once you come across such a colony of termites with hundreds of thousands of them, you can rely on a pest control service for termite control.
Conclusion
Termite infestation is a serious situation. You cannot let them continue after finding out about their infestation. The best you can do to protect your property from considerable damage is to hire professional pest control experts. Sometimes trying to exterminate the pest on your own can get you in more trouble and cause more loss.