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There are a variety of termites in the U.S. but they all have one thing in common: left alone, they'll eat you out of house and home. The most common varieties, subterranean termites, consist of a queen, king, reproductives, workers and soldiers. (alate means "winged")
Termite Queen
Reticulitermes,
alate
Body: dark brown
Wings: dark brownish-gray wings with a few visible hairs; front wings
are slightly larger than the hind wings
Length: about 3/8 inch, including wings
Reticulitermes,
nymph
Color: pale
Nymphs will transform into workers, soldiers or winged reproductives
Size: larger than nymphs and workers
Color: generally darker
Body: yellowish-brown with large rectangular head
Head: wider towards the front; equipped with large mandibles
Color: creamy white
Body: about 1/4 inch
Workers are blind and wingless, yet they are the most encountered and the most destructive. Their bodies are soft, but they have hard mouth-parts for chewing.
Formosan swarmers
Body: 1/2 inches long (larger than most other subterranean varieties)
Color: yellow-brown
Wings: pale and densely covered with tiny hairs
Swarming on humid evenings in Spring ensures the establishment of a new colony.
Coptotermes,
soldier
Body: Head is oval-shaped rather than elongated.
Wings: no
Soldiers are quite aggressive; their purpose is to defend the colony.
Body: dark brown
Length: about 3/8 inch, including wings
Wings: translucent with two dark veins
Heterotermes, alate are swarmers
Heterotermes,
soldier
Body: Length is about 1 1/2 times its width with a rectangular head
Notice the distinct mandibles.
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