What Are Termites

In the basic definition, termites are small, burrowing insects that eat wood – especially damp wood – and resemble small white ants. But there’s so much more than that! In actuality, termites are social creatures – just like we are – that live with a specific social order to take care of the colony that they live in.

That’s right – there are actually levels of termite hierarchy, just like in human life. Because they are social insects, this type of setup works best for them because they don’t possess the same skills that we humans do in order to get things done. But, get things done, they certainly do!
There are basically five levels of termites: the worker, the soldier, the reproductives, the king, and the queen. Each distinctive level has its own duties when it comes to the colony. Termites have long been referred to as “little white ants”, and there are a few – very few – similarities between the two species.

Ants also live in colonies with each level performing specific functions within the community. They all work together to make sure that they all live in relative peace having food and protection. Not so unlike humans, right? But termites as well as ants can be damaging to our structures which is why we don’t want them around.

That’s why we need to better understand how the colonies work. When we understand this part of their living environment, we can better combat them. We are, of course, talking about termites – which is what this book is about.