Termites have a strict caste system, which consists of workers, soldiers, winged re-productives, a queen termite, and a king termite. Workers represent the majority of the colony population and are responsible for caring for eggs, constructing and maintaining tunnels, foraging for food and feeding and grooming of other caste members. They are white and soft bodied.
Soldiers are responsible for defending the colony.
They are white, soft bodied with an enlarged, hardened head containing two large jaws, or mandibles, which are used as a weapon against predators. Winged reproductives produce the offspring in the colony and swarm at certain times of the year. The King termite assists the queen in creating and attending to the colony during its initial formation. He will continue to mate throughout his life to help increase the colony size. The Queen termite creates the colony by laying eggs and tending to the colony until enough workers and nymphs are produced to care for the colony.