Termite Eggs – Many of us who have had to cross paths with Termites and also suddenly finding them destroying our abodes completely unknown to us from within our living structures would be better served if we tried to learn more about this devastating pest that is the biggest menace to our well being, our homes and even our very existence.

There are records in history to indicate that whole civilizations have been destroyed by termites and those people have just left their homes in drones unable to manage the termite problem that they faced a very long time ago.

Hence it would be prudent on our part to know what sort of subterranean enemy that we are facing, at least by being able to identify their eggs which is what many of us are still unable to do.

Being a habitually subterranean insect termite eggs are rarely seen unlike the eggs of ants which could be scattered above ground in cool and secluded places around our homes or other buildings.

Termite eggs are light colored and soft to the touch and could be either whitish or yellowish in color and the eggs are laid by the Termite Queen and in the first lay she could produce anything between 20,000 to 30,000 eggs at a time.

This quantity could increase as she gets older and with the colony enlarging in size and the need arising for more workers and soldiers to protect the colony and such subsequent eggs could slightly change in color to a more lighter yellowish.

There would be only one Termite Queen per colony and she would be protected very diligently and aggressively by the soldiers in a very tight hierarchal society as she would be the centre of attraction to any invading enemy.

The eggs are deposited in protected areas around the Termite Queen who would be generally at the deep centre of the colony thus giving the lifeline of the colony enough protection for a long sojourn in the place they choose to make their abode.

Observing a Termite Queen laying eggs or even looking at the elaborate process that is enacted with the worker termites collecting them and depositing them in safe and protected cells within their colony would be an impossible task given the point that they would do all they can to protect the bloodline of the colony and the very existence of it.

 A. How Does The Eggs Look And Their Time Of Incubation?

Most species of termites have similar egg shape and sizes and could be assumed as standard in color, texture and also soft to the touch. They are very easily identifiable when in the termite colony and it would be a very unusual occurrence to find any at the places that they would be foraging for food as the eggs are well protected and stored till they are hatched, which would be about 26 days for most species whether they are big or small.

Eggs could be the size of a large pin head and if you are lucky it could be easily visible to the eye and it would be generally clustered together with many others as it is a practice by the Termite Queen to lay a large quantity of eggs in one day.

The eggs would gradually grow about 30% in size just before they are hatched and curiously the termite nymphs struggling out of it could be the same size as the egg and it could also be natural for varying temperatures within the colony to be responsible for different periods of hatching which could extend by a day or two.

Read: [Full Explaination] Are Ants With Wings Dangerous?

B. How Dangerous Would It Be To Find Termite Eggs In The Woodworks Of Your Home?

There is not an iota of doubt that termites are the most devastating insect pest that Man would have to contend with especially in our own homes where we would feel to be the most secure place for us to live safe and in complete bliss.

The termite’s destructive life cycle allows it to propagate quickly and with the Termite Queen able to lay thousands of eggs in a day they are a very formidable pest that Man would have to contend with for a very long time into the future even challenging our very existence on this planet if we do not do anything about it.

The Termite Queen has only to copulate and produce eggs and this makes her special to the colony and with them living in the damp tropics of the Northern and Southern hemisphere they egg laying could be divided between the seasons like the change in weather patterns of both these areas of our world.

C. How The Termite Colony Exists?

The Termite Queen would have only to mate and lay eggs and for this chore she would chose a mate from among those who are in the colony and the mate would become her kink but this arrangement could change as the kink would generally predecease the Termite Queen.

As long as the Termite Queen lives the termite colony would thrive and it is the fervent duty of the termite workers to feed her and clean her allowing her all the time in the world to do what she does best and is bound to do and also capable of doing that is to lay thousands of eggs to keep the colony vibrant and in existence.

The Termite Queen would be very much larger in size than the others in the colony and she would not be able to leave the colony as she would be vulnerable to predators and also would be too big to move out through the elaborate structure of their nest.

The laying times could vary and eggs would exit from the Termite Queen at different intervals sometimes taking days but once the eggs are laid they are safely deposited in specific areas of the nest to await it’s next step that is the time of incubation and would be very closely guarded by the soldier termites allowing no intruder or predator to get anywhere close to the eggs.

Once the eggs are laid they are carried dutifully by the worker termites and washed with their saliva and deposited and this elaborate process goes on in military precision and at this time it would not be possible to differentiate which egg would produce a worker termite or soldier termite as all eggs would be the same.

The hierarchy would not be a contention and all eggs are protected alike even to the extent that the soldier termites would be willing to lay down their lives to ensure that the eggs are safe at any cost. This is what makes the termites such a devastating act for us to contend with and have been unable to exterminate them and they are known to have lived even in the Jurassic period.

The distinctive and instinctive habit of the worker termite to keep licking the eggs during transport from the egg laying area to the storage area helps to provide nutrition for the fetus within and is a process every worker termite would do.

Life in the termite colony is a 24×7 all 365 days grind for them and their precision working is what gives them the devastating ability to destroy woodworks anywhere, whether it is in the areas where human habitation is nonexistent or even where they are well entrenched and life going on with no knowledge of what is happening just below our feet.

D. How Nutrition Is Provided Within The Termite Colony?

The Termite Queen needs the most nutrition as she is very much larger in size to all those within the colony and also has the main pivotal responsibility of propagating the existence of the colony.

Hence she is always kept fed by the worker termites and a whole army of them would be delegated with this very important task and would work round the clock to ensure that their main source of existence in their colony, the Termite Queen is well fed, cleaned and kept in good shape.

The Termite Queen would devour one of the eggs that she has laid but this does not mean that termites practice cannibalism as this would be the only instant where such a thing would happen in the colony and is not prevalent within as a habit.

It would also be prudent to observe that these eggs devoured by the Termite Queen is absent of any embryo and would not incubate into nymphs hence the practice is prevalent to provide enough nutrition to the Termite Queen to keep propagating her colony.

The frequency of the egg laying process by the Termite Queen could vary for different areas of the world depending on the weather patterns and conditions and as long as the Termite Queen is active and healthy she would select her mate and keep producing eggs and the colony flourishing.

The egg laying process could be termed elaborate and could have intervals of 10 to 20 seconds or so and on the more efficient platform even every 2 to 3 seconds.

E. Where To Find Eggs?

Termite eggs would not be scattered all over the place especially around a termite colony or elsewhere as they would be well deep inside the colony well protected and safe from any danger.

To find the eggs would be a herculean task and would need a lot of digging into the subterranean ground and finding them or even the inevitable termites on your woodwork would need your immediate attention as it would bode a bad omen for you and all that you have built with money and sweat over the years.

Failing to attend to the termite problem when you detect it could have devastating effects for you and all your hard earned belongings especially the very abode you are living in.

F. Addressing The Termite Problem

Termites thrive in damp areas of your home and this is where you should first look and leaking taps, drainage and similar cozy places are bound to have termites and getting them attended and corrected is your best solution for your termite problem.

Keeping away untreated wood from your home is another solution and if there are any such wood and they do get damp from leaking taps then the time is right to get all such leaks attended to fast and quick or you could invite a new visitor not into your home but right under your feet in your woodwork.

Take no chances with termites they would be working 24×7 all through the year unknowing to you destroying your home with you oblivious to what is going own whilst you are going about your daily chores.

Read: A Pest Control Guide For Termites (White Ants)

G. Answers To Questions About Our Most Devastating Pest

7.1 Termite Vision

Termites have very limited vision and only the Termite Queen and her mates have limited vision whilst the others in the colony like the worker and soldier termites are totally blind and depend on their extra sensory ability to locate wood which is their primary food.

The worker termites have this very special ability and it goes for the soldier termites too when they are confronted by an enemy or predator.

7.2 How Do Termites Feed?

The worker termites eat the wood which helps them to regurgitate it and them bring it back to the colony where they deposit it for the soldier termites, and the rest of the colony to feed on and survive.

It is this ability imbedded in termites that gives them the ability to have survived many millennia and which would also take them to, many more in the future and eradicating them would not be a task Man should attempt but try to control them from causing havoc and devastation.

The worker termite processes the wood for easy digestion by the others and helps to keep their main chore of fighting off enemies and keeping the constant stream of predators out.

The digestive system of the worker termite is very elaborate and has been found to be a process to help the colony prosper and enhance to greater numbers.

7.3 Would Termites Bite Us?

They would not mount an attack and bite humans though they may have a very nasty image when observed closely, in any case the worker termite has no ability at all but the soldier termite could bite if they are pressed to induce an attack.

Termites are herbivores and evolution has not given them the ability to attack prey and devour it hence the lack of such physical equipments.

This is what makes them docile with the ability of only able to give us a small pinch but that does not mean they are sober in attitude and what they cannot do by way of injury they compensate devastatingly by causing severe destruction of property which could have enormous economic damage if not prevented in time.

7.4 How Do Termites Move

They do fly but it is limited only to the Termite Queen and her mates and others cannot. The two sets of wings that they have give’s them this ability and it could be deduced that they are able to do this because if they are to leave their colony in a hurry or when under attack they could move quickly to another area and then start all over again.

They do not have the ability to jump and if a predator attacks the worker and soldier termites become vulnerable and could all be devoured and the colony could become dormant and un-habited.

7.5 The Size Of Termites

Termites come in different sizes from the various regions of the world depending on the climatic conditions and their varying habitats.

There are termites of different names too and they are identified as Pacific Dampwood, Eastern Subterranean, Formosan and Tube Building termites.

These termites vary in size from 5 to 20mm within the lower hierarchy and with the Termite Queens and their mates too varying in size from 10 to 26mm.

7.6 How Termites Cause Damage

Termites can cause immense damage and they could destroy wood which is damp over a very short period and they could go unnoticed hence any wood damage has to be checked and corrective action taken.

Small wood shavings near any wooden furniture, doors or other structures have to be looked into to ensure that there is no internal damage being caused to such structures.

Wood breaks down into cellulose and that is their main food source and anything that would provide them with this becomes a natural point of interest for them.

7.7 Identifying Termite Droppings

Termite droppings would be dark brown pellets and it would indicate the presence of a colony as they tend to live so and if even one termite is detected it is cause for alarm.

7.8 What Are Termites Are Attracted To?

Like any living creature termites are also attracted to food sources, warmth to propagate, shelter to be safe from enemies and predators and an easily accessible.

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