Insect-O-Fact #15

Termite Society

Termites exist in a caste based society. The three castes are, reproductives, soldiers and workers. The queen has the ability to cause any of her progeny to switch caste biologically based on need. The needs of the colony takes precedence over the individual termite and the Queen and King are the sole interpreters of that need. As a result the reproductive pair would be the brains and all other termites would be drones following their instructions to the letter instinctively. Some families of termite have developed ‘false workers’ or ‘pseudergates’. While it is common for termite workers to change into soldiers and vice versa at the whim of their queen, the pseudergates can actually change into reproductives when given the pheromone signal from their master. It is a colony unlike any other.