It’s common knowledge that termites are invasive pests that eat wood and cause damage to infested buildings. While many people know those things, there are plenty of facts about termites that are only discussed among people “in the know.” With termites being a collective pest that is both commonly spoken about yet still mysterious, we thought it would be fun to share some little-known facts about termites which you can use to dazzle your pest-loving friends or creep out those who aren’t fans of hair-raising critters.

Sleep Habits

Do you wake up groggy even on those rare occasions when you get a full night’s sleep? If so, you probably wouldn’t last long as a termite. You see, termites never sleep during their respective lifetimes. Instead, they work around the clock building their colonies until they die.

It’s worth noting that some termite species – of which there are about 2,700 – build their homes upward, making dirt “structures” that resemble mounds. Depending on their location, some of their mounds can reach heights of 30 feet or more.

Living Arrangements

Termites are similar to ants in the sense that both are eusocial. That means both types of pests live in caste systems, with each level of their societies fulfilling a different role. As a result, solder and reproductive castes are unable to feed themselves and must rely on workers to keep them nourished by regurgitating digested cellulose for them to digest.

Determining the roles individual termites will fulfill within their colonies is up to the queen. The queen will feed her young her pheromone-laded poop, and it’s the type of pheromone the queen secretes through her feces that determines what role the young termites who eat the waste will play within the colony.

Cleanliness

When people inquire about our termite control services, they rarely mention cleanliness and termites in the same breath. Believe it or not, that’s a bit ironic because termites are very hygienic pests. In fact, the members of a given colony devote a lot of time to grooming each other to deter the onset of disease.

Parenting

You may be surprised to learn that termites co-parent their young. Whereas male bees die shortly after mating with their queen, king termites stay with their queen after making their nuptial flight and fertilize her eggs on an as-needed basis. Kings also help their queen feed her young regurgitated cellulose.

To find their mates, young kings and queens fly out of their home colony in what are usually large swarms. When they find their mate, each pair finds a place to start their own colony. Once they’re settled, they break off their wings to raise their newborns.

They’re Still Destructive Pests

Even though the little-known facts discussed above are fascinating, it doesn’t mean you want termites in your home or business. Termites cause billions of dollars in damage every year, after all. To stop yourself from becoming a victim of termite damage, contact us to schedule termite inspections for the buildings you own or manage. If you suspect you already have a termite problem, give us a call or contact Action Pest Exterminating Co online to schedule a termite treatment in Charlotte, NC, or a nearby area now.