Some insects are quite endearing and have been made even more so by the media. Movies such as ANTZ, A Bug’s Life, and Pinocchio have popularized insects and made them cute and helpful. When you were a kid, you probably caught insects for fun and studied them. Grasshoppers, butterflies, dragonflies, and katydids all might have fallen prey to your bug bottle at some point in time. Insects are all around us, and some do beautify our world (who doesn’t love it when a Monarch butterfly flitters by?), provide us with food (honey, anyone?), and help us by providing pollination services we never could do (which gives us some of the best tasting fruits).
That being said, the termite is not one of these cute insect species you just want to observe. In fact, they are quite ugly. Most cannot see. They have big heads relative to their bodies (unless you are the queen or king), and they are unsightly, being white or brown. And they spend the majority of their lives in dirt.
Arizona Termite Specialists serves the Phoenix area with the best termite control services. We only eradicate termites and no other species. This is because we believe in getting the job right the first time. We often find signs of termites and the termites themselves that other termite companies miss. After all, termites have been on this planet for 250 million years and have remained relatively unchanged. They must be doing something right if they’ve been here this long. Thus, these little devils can be elusive, so we feel by specializing you are getting the best termite control services in Arizona.
Most of us have wanted to be kings and queens at some point in our lives. Below, we’ll take a look at what it’s like to be a king or queen termite. Call us today for your termite inspection!
THE WORLD OF A TERMITE FROM A KING AND QUEEN’S PERSPECTIVE
Most of us believe that being born royal is the way to go. After all, you can go anywhere you want, do whatever you want (within the law), and not have to have a day job. That being said, royals still have hard lives in some ways. They are responsible for their subjects and for making decisions that can affect their entire kingdom.
This royal life holds true for the king and queen termite of a termite colony. A king and queen termite are determined from birth due to substances inside the termite. They are raised similarly to other termites in the colony, but they are truly made for starting a new colony.
The Nuptial Flight
When the time is right, these termites with wings (known as alates) will take off in a nuptial flight. These insects wait until the weather is clear since it is hard to fly when it’s rainy outside. Temperature, humidity, and wind conditions also play a role in when this flight occurs. It only happens once a year. Oftentimes, many termites colonies coordinate their nuptial flights so that termites will mate with others from different colonies to help avoid inbreeding. This coordinated flight also serves to confuse predators. Termites actually have many predators and certain species of ants like to prey on termites during the nuptial flight because they are vulnerable. Also, birds will end up eating many of these termites during this time.
Unlike ants, termite kings and queens mate for life. When the virgin queen termite flies, she releases pheromones to attract the males. However, she flies away from them to find the fastest and the strongest male to mate with. Once she chooses, they land, losing their wings. They will find a new home together, and never see the light of day again.
The Life of a King and Queen
Once they find a home, the queen quickly gets to work populating it. She can lay up to 30,000 eggs in a day, but she usually starts off much slower than this. The king grows a bit bigger, but his main job is to mate with the queen. This is a monogamous relationship and ongoing, meaning the queen does not store any sperm of the male’s like other insect species, such as ants. The queen’s abdomen will grow bigger, making it hard for her to move. This is where workers help her by bringing her food.
As long as nothing happens to the colony, this is the life a king and queen termite will live. They will produce special termites to leave the colony and start anew. If something does happen to the queen, the king will produce pheromones to stimulate the development of a replacement queen. If the king dies, the queen will do the same, stimulating the development of a replacement for him as well.
Friend or Foe?
Termites are known as pests. However, a pest is a term we use when insects invade our space. However, termites, in general, are not pests. In fact, they perform a vital function for our environment by consuming dead plants. This breaks down this matter and recycles it, which is vital for our ecosystem. A termite does not distinguish between a house and an old tree in your backyard. To them, food is food no matter where it is. Thus, termites don’t mean us any harm; they just inadvertently cause harm.
CHOOSE ARIZONA TERMITE SPECIALISTS FOR YOUR TERMITE CONTROL SERVICES
Arizona Termite Specialists offers termite control services in the Phoenix area. The team at our termite company are experts at identifying termites and then proactively eliminating them. We do this through Termidor®, the best terminator control method we know of. Termidor® is a liquid that does not have any smell or taste. It is sprayed onto the soil around your home or business where termites then come into contact with it and eat it. They then wander back to their colony, carrying it with them. Known as the transfer effect, it infects the other termites in the colony, killing them as well. Within three months, your termite problem is usually solved.
Arizona Termite Specialists has over 20 years in the termite control business. We’ve inspected over 10,000 homes for termites and have helped thousands of homeowners and business owners rid their area of a termite infestation. Our trained and experienced professionals are ready to help you. Our mission is to get rid of your termite problem for good. While termites can be hard to eradicate, we’ll ensure they won’t come back once termite treatments are done. We serve many communities including Apache Junction, Phoenix, Scottsdale, and Mesa. Call us today for your termite inspection!
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