Facts About Termite Eggs, Not Termite Control

Appearance

• Termite eggs are small, translucent and white in color. The eggs are hard to find, often buried within walls or deep within the colony. A human's eye can see the eggs, but it is unlikely due to their location.

Function

• The eggs are the first stage of the termite's life cycle. The eggs are cared for by the worker termites of the colony. Once the eggs hatch, they will develop into larvae. The larvae will be fed by the workers in the colony until they are able to feed themselves.

Life Cycle

• Once the larvae have hatched, they soon develop into nymphs. The nymphs then develop into one of three adult phases: reproductive adults, workers or soldiers. The reproductive adults can then be divided into alates, de-alates, queens and kings. Alates have wings and will fly off to mate and then will settle a new site as a pair. The de-alates shed their wings and successfully become queens and kings.

  The queen of a colony can lay up to 1,000 eggs per day, starting this grueling process once her colony is properly established. The queen has a collection of neonites that assist her in her duties, one of which will take her place when she passes. The workers comprise a large number of the termites in a colony. They are sterile and blind, and work mainly to feed the soldiers, reproductives and larvae. They also build the nest and other parts of the colony. Soldiers, like workers, are blind and sterile, but fearlessly protect the colony and nest with strong jaws.

Termite Egg-mimicking Fungus

• In 1997, an egg-mimicking fungus was found among the eggs of Japanese termites. Upon researching the white eggs, scientists noticed several brown balls. These balls were revealed to be fungus. The fungus chemically mimics the eggs, therefore it is transported by the blind worker termites. The relationship is thought to be beneficial for both the fungus and the termites. The fungus is transported by the termite colony, and the termites are thought to be protected from pathogens from the anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties of the fungus.

Misconceptions

• Killing the termite eggs will not destroy a colony seeing as the queen can lay upward of 1,000 eggs per day. Likewise, many believe that the colony will be destroyed if the queen is destroyed. This is not the case, for when a queen dies, a pheromone is released that allows another female to take her place. A queen can also live for several decades, continually sustaining the reproduction process for a continuing colony.