A caste of characters playing their roles to perfection, termites receive picks and pans. Whether biological recyclers in nature or property damagers within structures, these cellulose-consuming critters always stick to their script.

Caste from the Latin, castus, meaning pure, is essential to social insects. Various individuals of known appearance and behavior perform specific labors within the colony. Caste assignments are as workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Caste differences are permanent and not due to age. Of gradual metamorphosis, egg and pupal stages are colonial members, but not castes.

Caste members labor toward assignments of construction, temperature control, provisions, egg placement, brood care, and defense. For example, soldier termites have grossly enlarged head capsules to accommodate muscles, which move powerful mandibles to bite and dismember enemies.

Knowing the caste of characters allows understanding of the plot, which allows better control of the end of the story.

**Caste Structure of Termites Derived from Wilson. Please open on desktop to see full caste table.

Stuart Mitchell, D.O., is a board-certified family practitioner and entomologist who serves as technical editor for PMP magazine.

PMP’s Direct To You provides pest management professionals with educational refreshers on timely and critical topics essential to operational success. This content is not be used as a substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney or insurance professional licensed where you live. Look for the content-rich PMP Direct To You archives at mypmp.net/direct-to-you-archive.