Soldier and worker castes are more difficult to distinguish, but are generally larger than subterranean termites. However, other characteristics of infested wood can be used for identification. Reproductives can be winged, primary reproductives called alates or swarmers or wingless, secondary reproductives. Termite workers are white and soft bodied. Soldiers resemble worker termites, except that they have enlarged brownish heads and strong, well-developed jaws.
Soldiers defend the colony from invaders, primarily ants.
Colonies, found in spaces such as wall voids or in hollows dug in wood both in or on the ground, are built of a mixture of chewed wood and soil cemented together, called carton. Reproductives swarm in late afternoon and evening, and are attracted to lights. Winged male and female termites swarm and mate, usually in late summer and early fall. Males and females remain together to start a new colony and mate periodically thereafter to assure continued egg production. Eggs, produced by the mated female reproductive or queen, hatch in about two weeks.