Termites digest cellulose in wood with the aid of special organisms within their digestive system. A mature queen produces 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year. Anaverage colony consists of 60,000 to 250,000 individuals, but colonies numbering in the millions are possible. A queen might live as long as 30 years and workers as long as five years. Subterranean termite colonies are established by winged reproductives, which usually appear in the spring.
Swarms usually occur in the morning after a warm rain.
Once the workers are raised, they take over expanding the colony and feeding the reproductives. As the colony becomes larger, light-colored supplementary reproductives are produced to lay eggs, which then become workers. The soldiers, which are also produced as the colony increases in size, are responsible for repelling invading ants and other predators. Control of subterranean termites begins with a thorough inspection to determine the extent of the infestation, the points of entry into the structure, moisture problems and other contributing factors. In addition, it is necessary to inspect structural timbers with a screwdriver or other sharp instrument in order to find galleries that have been excavated inside the wood.