Termites-- Possible lifespan: Fun Fact Friday!

Termites are fun right?  Okay no, they are certainly not. But here is a fact that I ran across that I found very interesting.  Reproductive Female Termites may live up to 45-50 years! 50 YEARS!  Knowing this, it is no wonder that termite colonies can grow to include over a million individuals.  As a pest control professional I am constantly searching for information about the pests we encounter.  In that searching I came across some interesting information about one of the most dreaded wood destroying structural pests.

Not only do reproductive females live up to 50 years in favorable conditions, I also read that reproductive males can live up to 45 years.  Although the average lifespan for termites is 2-3 years, termites often live well beyond this predicted lifespan.  Termites are divided into three social castes.  Workers, which are responsible for building and maintaining the nest and feeding and grooming the other two castes; Soldiers which are responsible for defending the nest; and reproductive, which are responsible for procreation.

An interesting fact about the soldier caste of termites is that while their large head and jaw serve them well in defending the nest it makes it impossible for them to feed themselves.  Soldier and reproductive termites must rely on the workers to be fed.

Besides being known for destruction (here in the US), in some countries in Africa gigantic termite mounds (up to 9 meters tall) are actually tourist attractions.  And from the pictures, they are quite impressive!  Termites are very beneficial in the break down of decaying plant matter, as it is their food source.  However, when it comes to wood structures, like houses, business buildings, wooden play structures, etc.  Termites are a very detrimental pest as they eat through the wood in a structure they cause structural damage that (give ample time to eat) can be quite costly to repair.