Everything You Need To Know About King Termites

Need to get rid of termites? Read on to learn the answers to all of your important questions. Need help? Call our professionals today to get started.

What Are King Termites?

Terminate colonies are created when male and female reproductive termites (alates) take flight and leave their respective colonies. When male and female alates find a mate, they find a suitable place to begin a new colony rip off their wings, burrow underground and begin forming a new colony. 

The female of this pair then becomes the queen of the colony while the male alate becomes the king. This pair continues mating for up to a decade to propagate a large and prosperous colony. 

Not much is known about the king termite’s role in the colony. 

Scientists know that king termites have the important job of starting and maintaining their colonies. Kings are also charged with taking care of termite larvae by cleaning and caring for them until workers can take over that task. 

What Do King Termites Look Like?

All alate male and female termites have the ability to become kings and queens of their own colonies, and thus, at the beginning of their mature adult life, king and queen termites look like all other flying termites. As they become solidified as the royal heads of their colony, king and queen termites become darker and acquire better eyesight. 

Queen termites will grow quite a lot over time in her role as sole egg-maker, sometimes growing many times the size of her worker offspring. 

Kings, on the other hand, remain the size of an average worker throughout their lives. In all termite species, the king and queen termites mate for life.

How To Spot A King Termite

The chances of you ever seeing a king termite are slim. Kings and queens of the colony reside deep inside termite nests and are protected by soldier termites. 

Call Pest Control Experts

Don’t let this royal couple take up residence in your home.

If you suspect that you have termite problems or have seen swarms of flying termites around your home, call a pest care professional to schedule a home inspection today. 

A specialist like Pest Control Experts can find out where your termite problem originates from and can protect your home from termite problems in the future. Reach out to Pest Control Experts soon.