How long do termites live? How many years can they generally live

Termites belong to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Isoptera. They have existed on Earth for at least over 100 million years. Although they are called termites or "white ants," they do not belong to the ant family at all; their closest relatives are cockroaches. There are about 3,000 known termite species worldwide, and 522 known species in China. Let's take a look below at how long termites live!

How long does the queen live

The termite queen is like a giant egg-laying machine, laying 30,000 eggs per day, equivalent to one-third of her own body weight. In a termite colony, the queen determines the existence and demise of the colony. Once she is captured, the colony ceases to exist. She is also a longevity matriarch: in higher families, the original queen can live 60-70 years, generally 15-30 years, and at most over 100 years.

How long do soldier termites live

Soldier termites are the caste with the greatest variation in a termite colony. Except for a few species that lack soldiers, generally starting from the 3rd-4th instar larvae, some larvae differentiate into lighter-colored presoldiers and then become soldier termites. They are the defenders of the colony. Although they are male or female, they cannot reproduce. Because they have lost the ability to feed, their food is fed to them by worker termites. Their lifespan is about 1-6 months.

How long do worker termites live

Worker termites are the most numerous in the colony, making up the vast majority of the population. They are male or female, have no reproductive function, and perform many miscellaneous tasks within the nest. They can survive from a few weeks to 3-7 years, but worker termites that leave the colony can only survive a few days.