Commonly found termites in Singapore:

• Subterranean Termites, Coptotermes spp.
• Drywood Termites

• Incomplete metamorphosis
• Egg -> nymph -> adult
• Termites have straight pointing beady antennas
• They look quite similar to ants but are pale white to a pale yellow
• A swarm of termites can be darker colored, much like most species of ants
• The reproductive adult termite’s pairs of wings are the same size
• While the flying ant’s wings are not
• Presence can be determined by wood colored fecal pellets or by mud tubes
• They live in caste system which consist of reproductive, workers and soldiers
• All three castes have different roles to play within the colony
• The Queen has the longest life span, up to decades under ideal climate conditions
• Workers and soldiers live up to 2 years

• Termites are actually important decomposers
• They break down tough plant fibers, recycling dead & decaying trees into new soil
• Termites work 24 hours per day and never sleep
• Due to some resemblance to ants, they are often called as “White Ants”
• The Queen lays millions of eggs during her lifetime
• In Singapore, two-inch long termite queens are considered a yummy food treat
• Termites are social insects
• The queen lays eggs and workers find food and maintain the nest
• Workers will share the food throughout the entire colony
• This process is called trophollaxis
• The best measure to manage termites is through baiting
• Where the workers will then share the baits to the rest of the colony
• Soldiers’ role is to ensure safety of the colony
• Termite soldiers when sense danger to the colony will sound the alarm
• By banging their heads against the gallery walls
• This sends warning vibrations throughout the colony
• There are about 2,000 known species throughout the world
• It is reported to cause more than $5 billion in property damage worldwide
• They use pheromones for interactions and to control each other’s behavior
• They leave scent trails to guide other workers using special glands on their chests