Table of Contents
What caste makes up the majority of a termite colony?
The major castes in the colony are the reproductive, soldier, and worker castes. Soldiers and workers are sterile and may be male or female. The functional reproductives are of two types, referred to as primary and secondary, or supplementary. Life cycle of the termite.
What is termite castes?
Castes of termites are primarily divided into two types of individuals: fertile (reproductives) and sterile individuals (neuters) (Thorne, 1996; Roisin, 2000). The sterile castes include workers, presoldiers and soldiers, while the fertile ones are alates, primary reproductives and secondary reproductives (Figure 1).
Which of the following is a reproductive caste of termite?
Queen and king, which are the main reproductive individuals in a colony. Once there are many workers to help the queen, her only job is to produce a tremendous number of offspring. A large queen may lay more than 1000 eggs per day. The life span of a queen can be as much as 50 years.
How many caste does termites have?
4. Caste System of Termites: A termite colony includes two major castes—sterile castes and reproductive castes. The caste system and the size of the colony are controlled by a pheromone, called social hormone, which is secreted by the members of reproductive castes (e.g., king and queen).
What are the three levels of the termite caste system?
A termite colony is divided into three different castes: Reproductives, Soldiers, and Workers.
Are termite workers male or female?
Unlike ants, bees, and wasps, in which all workers are female, termite workers may genetically be either male or female, but there is no functional difference as long as they remain as workers.
What kind of role do termites play in a colony?
Over the course of several molts, these larvae grow to assume a role in one of the three termite colony castes: workers, soldiers, and reproductive termites, also known as alates. Sizes of various termites in a colony.
Who are the primary reproductives in a termite swarm?
The queen, king and alates (termite swarmers) are considered the primary reproductives in a colony. In some cases, secondary or tertiary reproductives also can produce offspring. These secondary or tertiary reproductives do not have wings, although they may have wing buds.
Who is at the center of the termite life cycle?
The queen and king termites are at the center of the termite life cycle and are responsible for reproduction. After the fertilized queen lays her eggs, they hatch into pale white larvae. Eggs hatch into larvae and molt to develop into workers, soldiers, and primary or secondary reproductives.
How long does it take for a termite colony to multiply?
After hatching, young immatures are taken to nursery chambers where they are fed and groomed by workers. They are moved to other chambers in the nest until their final molt into workers or soldiers. A colony of about 1,000 workers at two years can multiply into 300,000 workers in five more years.