Worker termites do the “work” and soldier termites defend the colony. Reproduction is a slow process at first in that the population doesn’t build up for some time. When a colony is healthy and eggs are hatching regularly, secondary reproductives, or neotenics, will be present. Aug 24, 2023 · Soldier Termite. Hi Lance, You are correct. This is a Termite, more specifically, one of the caste of Soldiers whose job it is to defend the colony against attack. Termites perform a very necessary function of breaking down wood so that it can be converted to rich humus, providing necessary organic matter which results in more fertile soil. Termite heads have two antennae that are used to detect heat, vibrations, and pheromone signals. Many insects, termites included, have a thorax with three segments. Each of these segments has one pair of legs. Termite wings are also located on the thorax. Termite swarmers have wings, while the workers – the stage that consumes wood – are ...Milligram for milligram, termites would easily emerge as the winner on a one-on-one fight. They're larger than ants and have strong, coordinated soldiers as well. Scientists have identified that most termites are two to three times bigger than ants. Also, termites have heads that appear to be built for combat.Formosan termites are a subterranean species of termite with three distinct castes: alates (or reproductive), soldiers and workers. Often referred to as “super termites,” they are the most voracious, aggressive and devious of over 2,000 termite species known to science, chewing through wood, flooring and even wallpaper undetected.The soldier termites are wingless, blind, and otherwise soft-bodied. Soldiers mature in a year and may live up to 5 years (Myles 2005). The proportion of soldiers in a termite colony is specific to each species (Haverty and Howard 1981) which is also dependent on environmental factors in which they thrive (Liu et al. 2005a, 2005b).Termites are notorious for causing extensive damage to homes and buildings. As a homeowner, it is important to address termite infestations promptly to avoid costly repairs. Howeve...Termite Wingless worker Ant 3 4 2 Winged adult Figure 3. A comparison of termites and ants. Figure 4b. Reproductive of the speciesIncisitermes minor. Figure 4a. Reproductive of the species Incisitermes snyderi. Soldier termites never have wings (Fig. 5, left) but do have large mandibles with teeth which differentiates them from subterranean ...What are Termite Soldiers? Worker termites develop and keep the nest. However, they are not useful in protecting the nest from predators. If the nest has any hope of growing, it requires guardians to secure it. That’s where termite soldiers come in. Like workers, the lifespan of termites who are soldiers is 1-2 years.The Western drywood termite soldiers are about 5/16” with dark yellow-brown heads and strong jaw. West Indian drywood termite. Cryptotermes brevis. The West Indian drywood termite soldier has a distinctive square-shaped head, which resembles a burnt match. It uses this distinctive head to block the tunnels to protect the colony from intruders ...Termites (Blattodea, Termitoidea, or Isoptera) constitute one of the major lineages of eusocial insects. In termite societies, multiple types of functional individuals, that is, castes, perform divisions of labors to coordinate social behaviors. Among other castes, the soldier caste is distinctive s …Dampwood termites exhibit a clear caste system within their colonies, consisting of alates (reproductive termites), soldiers, and workers. Each caste has distinct physical characteristics that aid in identification: Alates: Also called swarmers, alates are the reproductive members of the Dampwood termite colony. They are larger than other ...The termite Odontotermes brunneus is an economically important species causing damage to cellulose containing wooden material and agricultural crops in India. Insecticide application is an effective strategy in termite control. In the present study the effect of cypermethrin was tested for workers and soldiers termite using filter paper dip …Fresh off of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) first foray into live-action television, many of us are still mulling over WandaVision and the Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). S...Soldier Termites: As the name suggests, soldier termites serve as the colony’s defenders. They are specialized in protecting the territory from potential …Mound structure, foraging strategies and investment in soldier defence can reduce predation pressure. Such adaptations include arboreal nesting, a thickened ...Evolution of the Soldier Caste. Intraspecific interactions between dampwood termite colonies have also facilitated insights regarding evolution of the soldier caste in termites. It is unknown whether modern sterile termite soldiers evolved as a defensive caste or from neotenic reproductives similar to modern reproductive soldiers.Soldier termites and worker termites, Reticulitermes sp. (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae). Photo by H. A. Turney. Subterranean termites, Reticulitermes virginicus ( ...Aug 7, 2013 · The soldier termites responded by bashing their heads into the ground around 11 times per second, causing it to vibrate. Advertisement. Good vibrations. Termite soldiers have enlarged mandibles, and reproductives feature two pairs of nearly identical wings. Members of every caste have three body parts: a head with a pair of segmented antennae, thorax, and abdomen. The insects appear whitish-brown to nearly black in colour. Differences Between Termites and Ants Mar 27, 2017 · Soldier Termite Damage. If you find a soldier termite in your homeyou will need to be worried about other members of their colony as well. Soldier termites do not actually eat wood, but they communicate to the worker termites that do. If you notice problems like sagging wood floorboards, termite tunnels running up exterior structures, small ... Termites are notorious for causing extensive damage to homes and buildings. As a homeowner, it is important to address termite infestations promptly to avoid costly repairs. Howeve...Termite nasute illustration (since reclassified as Nasutitermes corniger). The fontanellar gun is a termite defense mechanism in the form of a horn-like frontal projection (nasus) on the head of the soldier caste which is capable of expelling chemical weaponry at a distance, a trait exclusive to the subfamily Nasutitermitinae.It is primarily used to ward off …The Western drywood termite soldiers are about 5/16” with dark yellow-brown heads and strong jaw. West Indian drywood termite. Cryptotermes brevis. The West Indian drywood termite soldier has a distinctive square-shaped head, which resembles a burnt match. It uses this distinctive head to block the tunnels to protect the colony from intruders ...Prints of Illustration of Queen, King, worker and soldier termites. For sale as Framed Prints, Photos, Wall Art and Photo Gifts.Published: 24 May 2023. Caste-specific expressions and diverse roles of takeout genes in the termite Reticulitermes speratus. Kokuto Fujiwara, Akimi Karasawa, Takumi Hanada, …The soldier termites are wingless, blind, and otherwise soft-bodied. Soldiers mature in a year and may live up to 5 years (Myles 2005). The proportion of soldiers in a termite colony is specific to each species (Haverty and Howard 1981) which is also dependent on environmental factors in which they thrive (Liu et al. 2005a, 2005b). Worker termites do the “work” and soldier termites defend the colony. Reproduction is a slow process at first in that the population doesn’t build up for some time. When a colony is healthy and eggs are hatching regularly, secondary reproductives, or neotenics, will be present. 1 day ago · The queen is able to lay thousands of eggs each year. and continues to do so for about five years. There are also soldier termites which have large heads equipped with large mandibles ("jaws"). The soldiers protect the colony from invaders (such as ants). The bulk of the termite colony consists of thousands of whitish workers who serve various ... Soldier may have up to five worker morphs (e.g. in Psammotermes). More commonly there may be major and minor soldiers (in many fungus-growing termites) and occasionally a third morph (e.g. Acanthotermes, Velocitermes). Major and minor workers are very common throughout the group, particularly in the Macrotermitinae and …May 26, 2022 · In several insect eusocial lineages, e.g., some aphids, thrips, ants, some stingless bees, and termites, task specialization is brought to its climax with a sterile soldier caste solely devoted to colony defense. In Isoptera, while the reproductives are defenseless, the soldiers have unique morpho-physiological specializations whose origin and evolution remain unresolved. Here we report on two ... The rest of the termites are blind and navigate using scent and moisture trails. Kings and queens are usually darker than the rest of the termites in the colony. Soldiers defend the nest from invaders, typically ants and termites from other colonies. In most species, soldiers have large heads and strong, pincer-like mandibles. Soldiers' …Soldiers can be easily identified by their larger head, which is darker than their body. Depending on the species of subterranean termite, soldiers can comprise a different percentage of the colony. For example, Eastern subterranean termite colonies consist of 1–2% soldiers, and Formosan subterranean termite colonies consist of about …The soldier termites have an orange to brown color and a head that is oval shaped. They have a curved mandible with a white body. The soldiers attack the moment they are disturbed. They also secrete a fluid that is gluey from a large opening in the head. Pictures.GENERAL TERMITE INFORMATION. soldier-termites-worker-termites.jpg. TERMITE FACTS & INFORMATION. Termites belong to the insect order Isoptera, an ancient insect ...Dec 12, 2005 · Soldiers of the genus Cryptotermes have black, square shaped heads with very short mandibles. Soldier termites never have wings (Fig. 5, left) but do have large mandibles with teeth which differentiates them from subterranean termites. Worker termites are smaller than soldiers and have soft, white bodies (Fig. 5, right). Signs of infestation Soldier termites are wingless, blind, and otherwise soft-bodied. In Reticulitermes, soldiers typically comprise 1–2% of the termites pres-ent in a colony, whereas Formosan subterranean termite soldiers comprise 10–15% of the population. Because soldiers are not capable of feeding them-Learn how to draw a cartoon soldier with our step-by-step instructions. See just how creative you can be as you learn how to draw a cartoon soldier. Advertisement From Beetle Baile...The soldiers are also sterile and blind, and can be of either gender. Their bodies are not much larger than those of the worker termites. Soldiers tend to be similar in color to workers in the same species. Unlike workers, however, they have dark heads. Some species of termite soldier have large mandibles, which they use to crush enemies.Termites (Blattodea, Termitoidea, or Isoptera) constitute one of the major lineages of eusocial insects. In termite societies, multiple types of functional individuals, that is, castes, perform divisions of labors to coordinate social behaviors. Among other castes, the soldier caste is distinctive s …Termite workers and a soldier enjoy some damaged timber. Photograph: Nigel Cattlin/Alamy. In forests and grasslands of their native tropics, ...Oct 30, 2023 ... A simple explanation is that workers are the largest caste in termite colonies, who do most of the working tasks. Eating, constructing, and ...Soldiers of subterranean termites (Rhinotermitidae) are distinguished from those of drywood or dampwood termites (Kalotermitidae) by their smaller size and the relative width of the pronotum. In subterranean termites, the pronotum (segment immediately behind the head) is narrower than the head, while in kalotermidis they are … Worker and soldier termites can live for about 4 years. Termitaria. Termite nests vary in size from fairly modest ones in decaying wood, to huge, complex ones containing a million individual insects. These huge structures can be found in parts of Africa and Australia, and they look like large standing stones. A termite colony is a collection of termites. It refers to the organized groups in which termites live. The colony contains several castes; immature termites, soldiers, workers, reproductives and nymphs. The structure of a termite colony consists of the king and the queen termite as being on top of the colony and then the soldiers and the workers. termite, (order Isoptera), any of a group of cellulose-eating insects, the social system of which shows remarkable parallels with those of ants and bees, although it has evolved independently.Even though termites are not closely related to ants, they are sometimes referred to as white ants. Phylogenetic studies have shown that the closest …western drywood termite, but can tolerate drier conditions and higher temperatures. Alates of the light western drywood termite are pale in color. Soldiers have a club-like third antennal segment that is almost as long as all the succeeding segments combined. This characteristic makes the species easy to distinguish from others.Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.Harvester termites are social insects belonging to the order Blattodea, which are found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the savanna and semi-arid regions. They can easily be recognised when they out are in large numbers collecting grass. Description/How ... with soldiers being 15 mm, workers 8–13 mm, and the queen 25 …The Western drywood termite soldiers are about 5/16” with dark yellow-brown heads and strong jaw. West Indian drywood termite. Cryptotermes brevis. The West Indian drywood termite soldier has a distinctive square-shaped head, which resembles a burnt match. It uses this distinctive head to block the tunnels to protect the colony from intruders ...New termite colonies are formed when spring-emerging queens and kings mate in a small chamber they excavate in the soil or in wood. Workers hatch first to build the colony, raise new young, and feed the king and queen as well as soldier termites who are unable to feed themselves. Workers and soldiers avoid sunlight.Termite soldiers locate battles with vibrational clues. The insects rely on millisecond-long signal delays to find their way. DEFENDER A soldier termite stands ready to headbang an alarm and...The bodies of termites workers and soldiers are beige or tan coloured in most species and the alates are brown; Ants are mostly red or black; Identifying termite species. Different species of termites have different habits and pose different risks to your property. Some species are more voracious eaters than others, so can inflict more …Differences in soldiers. Formosan termite soldiers make up as much as 15–20% of the termites in a colony, compared with just 1–3% in a native subterranean termite colony. Generally, if a colony is breached and a large number of soldiers are immediately evident, the termites may be Formosan (Figure 4). ...Termite colonies can vary in size from only two individuals (a mated pair or incipient colony) to hundreds of thousands or perhaps even millions of individuals. Colonies contain several forms or castes, including larvae or immatures, workers, soldiers, nymphs, and reproductives. These castes can be distinguished by physical characteristics. A termite colony is a collection of termites. It refers to the organized groups in which termites live. The colony contains several castes; immature termites, soldiers, workers, reproductives and nymphs. The structure of a termite colony consists of the king and the queen termite as being on top of the colony and then the soldiers and the workers. Therefore, many of the previous studies have been focused on soldiers, in terms of ecology, behavior, and evolution as well as developmental and physiological mechanisms. This article overviews the accumulation of studies especially focusing on the developmental and physiological mechanisms underlying the soldier differentiation in …Worker termites are wingless and white or creamy white. Soldier termites are creamy white except for a darker, enlarged head that usually contains a large pair of mandibles. Soldiers do not have wings. King and queen termites may measure as much as an inch long, while the other roles range from ¼ to ½ inch in size.Subterranean termite soldiers have darkened heads and large pincer like jaws. Their primary job is to defend the nest from enemies, primarily ants. Soldiers make up 5-10% of the termite colony. If you break open an active mud tube, you will likely see soldiers rush out to defend the attack. With their large heads, soldiers will sometimes plug a ...Termite soldiers locate battles with vibrational clues. The insects rely on millisecond-long signal delays to find their way. DEFENDER A soldier termite stands ready to headbang an alarm and...In termites, the soldier is a sterile caste. In primitive taxa (family Archotermopsidae and Stolotermitidae), however, secondary reproductives (neotenic …Soldier termites will not hesitate to bite a human “intruder” either, though they don’t seek them out for attack. Drywood Swarmers. Swarmers are the winged adult termites that leave the colony every 2 to 3 years. They fly out of the nest to mate and create a brand new colony. If you find drywood termite swarmers on your property, either: Termite soldiers have enlarged mandibles, and reproductives feature two pairs of nearly identical wings. Members of every caste have three body parts: a head with a pair of segmented antennae, thorax, and abdomen. The insects appear whitish-brown to nearly black in colour. Differences Between Termites and Ants Colonies of dampwood termites consist of three primary castes: the reproductives (king, queen, and unmated winged forms called alates), soldiers, and false workers or pseudergates. Neotermes pseudergates are immature forms without external signs of wings. When wing buds become visible after molting, they are called nymphs.Subterranean termite soldiers have darkened heads and large pincer like jaws. Their primary job is to defend the nest from enemies, primarily ants. Soldiers make up 5-10% of the termite colony. If you break open an active mud tube, you will likely see soldiers rush out to defend the attack. With their large heads, soldiers will sometimes plug a ...The dataset included 1562 modern termite species (911 imagoes, 1303 soldiers, 840 true workers and 26 pseudergates) and 76 fossil species (69 imagoes, 10 soldiers and two workers). This dataset comprised nearly half of the described termite species, belonging to 287 genera from all families and subfamilies.The rest of the termites are blind and navigate using scent and moisture trails. Kings and queens are usually darker than the rest of the termites in the colony. Soldiers defend the nest from invaders, typically ants and termites from other colonies. In most species, soldiers have large heads and strong, pincer-like mandibles. Soldiers' …Termites are one of the most destructive pests that can wreak havoc on your home. They can cause significant damage to the foundation, walls, and furniture, leading to costly repai...Soldiers. Termites make a tasty snack for many predators. It is the role of the soldier termites to prevent this from happening. As needed, a termite queen directs worker termites to transform into soldiers. Soldiers are larger than workers and have a big distinct orange head with black pointed mandibles.reproductives (winged or wingless), soldiers and workers (pseudergates). Soldiers and winged reproductives (alates) are the castes used for iden-tification purposes. Figure 1 shows the life cycle of the termite. Winged reproductives (swarmers): Winged Formosan termite reproductives or “swarmers” are yellowish brown and 12 to 15 mm long (0.5 ...Coptotermes gestroi was first described by Wasmann (1896) using a soldier termite. In 1911, Nils Holmgren described C. havilandi from an alate form of the same species.The difficulty of matching the two castes, together with various reports on slight morphological differences over time led to the establishment of two supposedly different …Jan 2, 2018 · Learn about soldier termites, the defenders of the colony who use their heads and mandibles to fight and protect other termites and ants. Find out how to tell them apart from workers and ants, and how to prevent or treat an infestation of soldier termites. Soldiers among certain termites may use their globular (phragmotic) heads to block their narrow tunnels. Different types of soldiers include minor and major soldiers, and highly modified soldiers called nasutes of the pantropical subfamily Nasutitermitinae possess a horn-like nozzle frontal projection (nasus). These unique soldiers are capable ...Termites were the first eusocial insects, forming colonies as early as the Cretaceous. The colonies consist of a fertile “king” with one or more queens, with both the sterile males and females filling the worker and soldier roles. Explore Our Termite Control Services. Bees. And, finally, there are bees. Unlike ants and termites, bees have ...Soldiers resemble workers in color and general appearance, except they have well-developed brownish heads with strong mandibles or jaws. Soldiers defend the colony against invaders, primarily ants and other termites. They cannot forage for food or feed themselves, and they depend on the workers to care for them.Soldiers (Figure 3), distinguished by their enlarged, darker colored heads and large, stout mandibles, are the next most numerous caste. Depending on species, anywhere from 2 to 4 percent (eastern subterranean termites) and up to 10% (Formosan termites) of the termites in an established colony will be soldiers.At 30,000 eggs a day the termite queen can produce almost 165 million eggs in her lifetime. Video length: 2 minutes 38 seconds. Video source: National Geographic. 5. Soldier termites. If the colony is in danger, say from an ant attack, the soldier termites will tap on the walls of the tunnels to alert the rest of the colony.Termites are social insects living in colonies comprised of a king and a queen (wingless adults or nymphs, depending on the species), and soldiers. The king and queen perform the reproductive functions of the colony, while the workers carry on all aspects of colony mainte-nance. The soldiers defend the colony.Soldiers can be easily identified by their larger head, which is darker than their body. Depending on the species of subterranean termite, soldiers can comprise a different percentage of the colony. For example, Eastern subterranean termite colonies consist of 1–2% soldiers, and Formosan subterranean termite colonies consist of about …Mar 27, 2017 · Soldier Termite Damage. If you find a soldier termite in your homeyou will need to be worried about other members of their colony as well. Soldier termites do not actually eat wood, but they communicate to the worker termites that do. If you notice problems like sagging wood floorboards, termite tunnels running up exterior structures, small ... western drywood termite, but can tolerate drier conditions and higher temperatures. Alates of the light western drywood termite are pale in color. Soldiers have a club-like third antennal segment that is almost as long as all the succeeding segments combined. This characteristic makes the species easy to distinguish from others.The soldier termites are identified by their strong body, large mandibles, and huge, dark heads (which secrete defensive fluids). They use their large heads to block the passage to their territory, preventing predators, such as ants and other termite colonies from entering their nest. As mentioned above, they rely on worker termites when it ... A termite colony is a collection of termites. It refers to the organized groups in which termites live. The colony contains several castes; immature termites, soldiers, workers, reproductives and nymphs. The structure of a termite colony consists of the king and the queen termite as being on top of the colony and then the soldiers and the workers. Soldier termites, although far less numerous, are also likely to be found. Identification. Both worker and soldier termites are white in color, with a small amount of brown on their … The termite soldiers make up about 1-10% of any given colony’s termite population. All ants are able to fight, but termites have special caste for this purpose. Worker termites can’t fight, their duty is to do lots of jobs around the house like looking after the queen and her eggs, feeding the queen and so on. Figure 3. — Soldier (top, with enlarged head and mandibles) and worker termites. Figure 4. — Winged adult termite. types of individuals make up the termite caste system: workers, soldiers, and reproductives (which may or may not be winged). Other intermediate forms are also present, but are rarely observed by Sep 11, 2007 ... ... termites in the colony. Soldiers defend the nest from invaders, typically ants and termites from other colonies. In most species, soldiers ...Soldiers. Soldier termites are primarily responsible for defending the nest from their main enemy — the ant. Soldiers have large heads and mandibles, which enables them to battle insects that attempt to invade their colony. However, in many colonies, soldier termites make up only 2% of the colony’s members, so they can be easily …Learn how to draw a cartoon soldier with our step-by-step instructions. See just how creative you can be as you learn how to draw a cartoon soldier. Advertisement From Beetle Baile... There are three castes, or levels, of termite society: workers, soldiers and alates. An Alate is a Winged Termite Swarmer. Termites with wings (also called swarmers or alates) are reproductives that leave the nest to start new colonies. Swarmers are not immediately produced in a colony; it can take up to four years for a colony to begin ...
Worker termites: These make up the majority of a colony and have an off-white to creamy colored appearance. Alates/Swarmer termites: While these vary in color between species, they all have significantly sized wings that enable them to fly. Soldier termites: Often confused for ants, soldier termites have large, dark heads with powerful mandibles.. Superman y lois
Soldier termites are creamy white except for a darker, enlarged head that usually contains a large pair of mandibles. Soldiers do not have wings. King and queen termites may …Jul 22, 2014 · By Susan Milius. A soldier termite can tell which way to run in a crisis by sensing SOS-message time delays — only hundredths of a human eyeblink long — with its feet. Africa’s Macrotermes ... During the budding process, a group of worker, mating, and soldier termites break off from the original colony in order to form a secondary, lesser colony. Causes of Termite Budding. Termites are exceptionally intelligent insects, and they bud in order to protect their colonies — even if it means sacrificing a portion of the original colony.The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) property released on Disney+, might be the show with the most-watched series premiere on Disney’s stre...For instance, western subterranean soldier termites have heads that are a yellow hue, and the termite soldiers of the western drywood species feature reddish brown heads. Subterranean termites are usually smaller in size than damp wood and dry wood termites. Termites operate in a caste system, and there are three.There are more soldiers (10 to 15%) in a Formosan subterranean termite colony than that of the native subterranean species in Florida (1 to 2%). Because the Formosan subterranean termite colony contains a larger soldier proportion than native subterranean termites, infestations with many soldiers is a clue to its presence. Figure 6. The soldier termites. The soldier caste is responsible for defending and protecting the colony from enemies (which are mainly ants). They have protruding jaws and larger, armored heads than the workers, which are often a shade of yellow, orange, brown, or red. The soldiers of some species have snouts instead of jaws in which they squirt a ... Are robots replacing human soldiers? One U.S. Army leader says they could be a big part of U.S. forces in the future. Find out more at HowStuffWorks. Advertisement "The robots are ...Proportion of soldiers: In a Formosan termite colony, 15-20% are soldiers. This is significantly higher than in other subterranean termite colonies, where soldier termites make up only 1-3% of the population. Behavior of soldiers: When harassed, Formosan termite soldiers exude a white, glue-like secretion. This is a unique defense …Sep 11, 2007 ... ... termites in the colony. Soldiers defend the nest from invaders, typically ants and termites from other colonies. In most species, soldiers ...Termites can’t see those differences, as they live in the dark. But Dr. Vargo’s lab has shown that workers and soldiers can recognize their sovereigns by smell. When another termite is near a ...There are three distinct types, or castes, of subterranean termites with physical differences, including reproductives, workers and soldiers. The reproductives include the king, queen and alates. Integral to a colony’s growth, the queen is the largest termite while the king is much smaller. Alates, also known as swarmers, have long, dark ...Learn how to draw a cartoon soldier with our step-by-step instructions. See just how creative you can be as you learn how to draw a cartoon soldier. Advertisement From Beetle Baile...Worker and soldier termites can live between one to two years, while some termite queens can live for as long as 50 years. Long live the queen. Queens of eastern subterranean termites, the most common species of termites found in the United States, can live up to a staggering 30 years, although a 15- to 17-year life span is more common. Formosan termite soldiers are more aggressive than native subterranean termite soldiers. When disturbed, they will exude a small amount of a white defensive secretion from a gland called the fontanel, located on the front of the head. They can also attach themselves to a finger with their mandibles (mouthparts). Soldiers will make up between 5 ... Coptotermes gestroi was first described by Wasmann (1896) using a soldier termite. In 1911, Nils Holmgren described C. havilandi from an alate form of the same species.The difficulty of matching the two castes, together with various reports on slight morphological differences over time led to the establishment of two supposedly different …Soldiers. Soldier termites are primarily responsible for defending the nest from their main enemy — the ant. Soldiers have large heads and mandibles, which enables them to battle insects that attempt to invade their colony. However, in many colonies, soldier termites make up only 2% of the colony’s members, so they can be easily …HowStuffWorks examines the complicated history of the African American servicemen known as the Buffalo Soldiers. Advertisement The legend of the Buffalo Soldiers, as is often the c...There are more soldiers (10 to 15%) in a Formosan subterranean termite colony than that of the native subterranean species in Florida (1 to 2%). Because the Formosan subterranean termite colony contains a larger soldier proportion than native subterranean termites, infestations with many soldiers is a clue to its presence. Figure 6.Colonies of dampwood termites consist of three primary castes: the reproductives (king, queen, and unmated winged forms called alates), soldiers, and false workers or pseudergates. Neotermes pseudergates are immature forms without external signs of wings. When wing buds become visible after molting, they are called nymphs.Worker termites do the “work” and soldier termites defend the colony. Reproduction is a slow process at first in that the population doesn’t build up for some time. When a colony is healthy and eggs are hatching regularly, secondary reproductives, or neotenics, will ….