Termites, along with bees, wasps, and ants, are considered to be social insects, in that they live in large, complex societies in which individuals can belong to various castes (like workers, soldiers, and queens) that have specialized physical atttributes to perform characteristic roles. They are often found swarming in large numbers. Since termites can consume and utilize the cellulose in wood as a nutrient, it's no surprise they are common inhabitants of the forest, including the trees of the amber forests of the Baltic region that existed 30-45 MYr ago. Winged termites, such as this worker, appear quite frequently in amber from both the Old and New Worlds, often in quite remarkable states of preservation, and usually surrounded by other termites and the waste products of their woody meals. Since methane gas is a byproduct of cellulose digestion by microorganisms inhabiting their gut, termites in amber are often seen swollen from the buildup of gases trapped within them and surrounded by gas bubbles.

The four delicate elongated wings and beaded antennae are characteristic identifying features. Today's termites appear quite similar in structure, habitat, and social structure to their ancient relatives, which demonstrates that complex insect societies had already evolved many millions of years ago. Approximately 5X magnification.