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How does a winged termite become a king or queen?
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termite
A termite nest in a tropical rainforest.
A new termite colony is founded by winged adults known as alates. After developing in a mature colony, these insects emerge during a mating flight triggered by specific environmental conditions.1
Once the alates land, they shed their wings, leaving only a small base called a scale attached to their thorax. The pair then engages in a brief courtship, during which the female emits a sex attractant and the male follows her in a process called pairing.12
The couple seeks out a nesting site—such as a crevice or a hole in wood or soil—and seals it to create a nuptial chamber. Copulation occurs only after this chamber is established, allowing the pair to begin laying eggs and founding a new colony as the primary king and queen.1