Termites are social insects. As a result, you might think you can beat a termite infestation by taking out the queen. After all, colonies that can't produce new members can't last, thus limiting the damage they can do to your home. Unfortunately, you should know that taking out a queen is much easier said than done. Even worse, doing so doesn't necessarily mean a successful termite treatment.
What Does the Queen Do?
You can divide termites into workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Workers and soldiers make up the overwhelming majority of a colony, which makes sense because they're the ones that keep everything running. Meanwhile, reproductives are much less numerous. Despite this, they provide the entirety of a colony's reproductive capabilities.
The queen is the most important member of a colony. She's the one responsible for founding it in the first place. Subsequently, the queen focuses on pumping out thousands of eggs daily. North Carolina State University says termites also have surprisingly long-lived kings. The male reproductives of most social insect species die after mating. In contrast, a termite king lives to help the queen in founding their colony. Then, he focuses on mating so the queen can continue pumping out eggs.
Can a Termite Colony Survive Without Its Queen?
These roles make it understandable for you to think that taking out the queen will ensure a successful termite treatment. Unfortunately, the increased importance of termite kings should prove that one group of social insects can be quite different from another. Indeed, Mississippi State University points out that a termite colony can have reproductives other than the king and queen.
Some of these non-primary reproductives are born as such, while others develop from existing workers. The terrifying part is that they can lay more eggs than the queen in a well-established colony. This means a group of termites can survive without a queen so long as it has non-primary reproductives. If you're dealing with an aerial colony in your home, there's a good chance it was part of an underground colony that extended too far before being cut off.
How Do Pest Control Specialists Ensure a Successful Termite Treatment?
Reproductives are kept safe from harm. Due to this, you'll have a hard time reaching them. Fortunately, This Old House lists various termite treatment methods that can circulate into colonies, thus offering more conclusive results than other methods focused on foraging workers. One example would be poisoned bait termites can pick up before spreading throughout the colony. Another example would be parasitic nematodes that target these pests. Pest control specialists can recommend the most effective termite control treatment before using it to full effect. Better still, they can give you professional advice on making your home unattractive to these pests to prevent recurrences.
Further Considerations
Termites can be frustratingly subtle. Due to this, they might already be widespread by the time you pick up on their presence. If you see signs of termites, consider contacting a pest control company, such as Elite 1 Termite Control, to assess the situation. Quick action might enable you to prevent further damage to your home.