The colonies are composed of kings, queens and soldiers. There is no worker caste as in subterranean colonies. The work is performed by immature termites before they become adults. King and queen termites perform the reproductive functions of the colony. They are light to dark brown and one-third to one inch in length.
Soldiers guard the colony against invaders such as ants.
They are white and wingless with large brownish heads and jaws. The soldiers and immatures remain inside the wood at all times. Subterranean termites occur throughout the state while drywood termites are more common along coastal areas although they are also found inland. Termite food consists of cellulose obtained from wood. Protozoa in their digestive tracts convert the cellulose into usable food.