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Dec. 21, 2009 01:42 PM

The original queen in the colony is capable of chemically blocking development of the reproductive potential of all members of the colony. The king and/or queen produce a pheromone that circulates through the colony and inhibits the formation of other (secondary) reproductives.

The inhibitory pheromone produced by the queen prevents development of female secondary reproductives. This substance is circulated through the colony by immature stages that routinely consume the feces of nestmates.

When the queen dies, production of the blocking pheromone stops, and secondary reproductives may be produced.

In the Reticulitermes species, the queen and king may be replaced by numerous secondary reproductives, and the colony may become very large with the added productivity of many queens.