What is the Life Cycle of a Termite?

Termite Life Stages

Here’s how the termite life cycle works:

1. Two swarmer termites from different home colonies shed their wings, mate, and establish a new colony. They are that colony’s king and queen.
2. The queen termite lays new eggs – up to 30,000 a day.
3. Larvae hatch from eggs.
4. Larvae grow into nymphs.
5. Nymphs molt three times before they become adults.
6. Once they reach adulthood, the termite will be assigned a role in the colony – also called a caste.
7. The three possible castes are reproductive, worker, and soldier. Workers do the heavy lifting of building the termite nest. Soldiers defend it. Reproductives, also called swarmers or alates, will eventually grow wings and fly off to establish their own colonies.

How Long Do Termites Live?

Termite lifespan varies by caste. Here are the averages:

• Workers and termites live for 1-2 years.
• Reproductive termites can live for nearly 4 years.
• Queens can survive for up to 20 years if the conditions are right.

How Are Termite Castes Determined?

Scientists still aren’t sure what decides a termite’s caste. However, it is fairly clear that social and environmental cues from the rest of the colony play a large role. Termites may even be able to change caste to meet the colony’s needs!

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