Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What happens after winged termites leave their parent colony during swarming?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
termite
A termite nest in a tropical rainforest.
After winged termites, or alates, leave their parent colony during a mating flight, they undergo a specific process to establish a new colony:
- Landing and Wing Shedding: Shortly after landing, the alates shed their wings, leaving only the base of the wing scale attached to their thorax.1
- Pairing: The termites engage in a short courtship where the female emits a sex attractant. The pair then moves off in tandem, with the male following the female.1
- Nesting: The couple searches for a suitable site, such as a crevice or a hole in wood or soil softened by rain. They seal the entrance using their own fecal matter to create a nuptial chamber.1
- Copulation and Egg Laying: Once the chamber is established, the pair mates. The female then lays her first batch of eggs. Initially, the king and queen must feed and tend to the young themselves until the colony matures and the first generation of nymphs takes over these duties.1