Worker Termites

What do they look like?

Termite workers are wingless and have hardened mouthparts. A termite worker's head is also hardened, but its body is not and it can be subject to drying if it does not remain in a moist environment.

In some colonies, there are different size (major and minor) workers and their tasks are linked to their size and age.

What is their role?

Young or recently developed workers usually remain in the colony to do general repair and maintenance work on the galleries, and they are responsible for caring for the queen and eggs. Older workers are primarily responsible for foraging for food away from the main nest.

About 10 percent of the workers in a termite colony are away from the nest foraging for food. For termite species that do not have soldiers in the colony, the older workers are responsible for defending the colony from invaders.

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