What Do Winged Termites Look Like?

African termites can build elaborate cathedrals.

Found throughout the world, termites are renowned and reviled for their ravenous wood-eating appetites. In societies that use wood as a common architectural material, termites can wreak incredible damage. Termites can also become a source of considerable fascination. Their intricate social structure resembles that of ants, but with a number of unique features. Winged termites hold a particular interest for some, as they are the kings and queens of termite society.

General Appearance

Like all insects, termites have three main body structures: the head, thorax, and abdomen. The head is the center for sensory apparatus such as the eyes and antenna, and it is also where the termites' mandibles and mouths are located. The thorax is the middle of the body where the legs, and in some cases the wings, are located. The abdomen is the rear of the termite, and it houses most of the insects' internal organs.

Wing Pads

Winged termites are not a special breed or species, but rather the elite of termite society. While most termites spend their whole lives gathering food, nurturing the young, and defending the colony, a small percentage have both the ability to breed and wings to carry them far away. Before their wings unfurl, however, they simply have two "wing pads" located on the back of their thorax. These small nodes eventually mature, sprouting into wings.

Kings

There are two kinds of winged termites. The first is the king termite, which is among the only male termites in the entire colony. Most termites are infertile females, while all males are fertile and destined to pair with a queen to start their own faraway colony. During mating season, the males will leave the colony and fly away, drawn to the pheromones produced by young queens. If the queen approves of him, they'll bond for life, becoming the king and queen of a new colony.

Immature Queens

Before they've left the colony, young queens sport wings as delicate and regal as their male counterparts. They are the only female termites with the ability to mate and produce children, and over the course of their lives, they will give birth to thousands. When they're old enough, they fly away from the colony and look a suitable site for their new home. While winged, the king and queen look alike.

Mature Queens

Once they've settled down, both king and queen shed their wings. For a brief while, they continue to look alike, but gradually the queen's abdomen extends to twice its original length as her reproductive organs mature. Although they no longer have their wings to distinguish them from the other castes, at this stage queens are easily identified by the heavy girth of their rear quarters.

References

• North Carolina State University: Termites
• Desert Museum: Termites