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Arid Land Subterranean
 Description:
The Arid Land Subterranean Termite
is a member of the family Rhinotermitidae. These are
small termites, 1/4-3/8" (5-9 mm) long, that inhabit
warmer parts of North America. Winged forms are black,
while other castes are white or yellowish. Unlike rotting-wood
termites, they have a pale depression or fontanelle,
on top of the head between the eyes. they have no teeth
on their jaws; the hind femora are not swollen and there
are no spines on the tibiae. Most members of this family
live in colonies underground. A few establish colonies
in damp wood.
Drywood
Termite
Characteristics – Size:
Soldiers measure 3/8-inch in length; male and female
reproductives grow to 1/2-inch long. During the winged
stage there are four equal size wings that extend longer
than the body by 1/8- to 1/4-inch.
Color:
Usually pale brown.
- Drywood termites have soft
bodies and are cylindrical in shape. They have six
legs, compound eyes and chewing mandibles.
- Behavior – Drywood
termites are social insects that live in colonies.
The colonies are composed of kings, queens and soldiers.
There is no worker caste as in subterranean colonies.
The work is performed by immature termites before
they become adults. King and queen termites perform
the reproductive functions of the colony. They are
light to dark brown and 1/3- to 1 inch in length.
Soldiers guard the colony against invaders such as
ants. They are white and wingless with large brownish
heads and jaws. The nymphs (immatures), which are
the most numerous caste, are white and wingless. The
soldiers and immatures remain inside the wood at all
times.
- Habitat – Drywood termites
infest only dry wood and are most often found in attic
wood structure as they do not require contact with
the soil. They need very little moisture because they
are able to live off of the water produced from the
digestion of the cellulose. Drywood termites mate
and fly to new dry wood areas, enter a small hole
in the wood, and start to form a colony. Colonies
will contain up to 2500 members.
- Tips for Control –
There are some things a property owner can do to help
prevent drywood termite infestation.
- Store firewood and lumber
away from the house. Use 20-mesh screen on all windows
and doors, and especially at ventilation openings
for attics and crawl spaces. Exposed wood that is
sealed with a uniform coating of paint, varnish or
other sealant will help prevent easy access by drywood
termites. Be sure to seal nail holes and cracks.
Dampwood
Termite
 Description:
Soldiers 3/4" (19 mm), reproductives
1" (25 mm). Soldiers have large brownish heads,
long dark mandibles, at least 23 segments in antennae.
Secondary reproductives are grayish or whitish, lack
wing pads but have compound eyes. All members of the
colony have prominent cerci with 3 or more segments
and a groove on the midline above upper lip.
- Food Wet wood.
- Life Cycle Colony has no worker
caste, only soldiers and 3 reproductive forms -- fertile
males, "first form" queens with small wing
stubs, and secondary reproductives. Young serve as
workers.
- Habitat Wooded areas on rotting
stumps and moist fallen trees, mostly above ground.
- Range West of the Rocky Mountains
from northern California to British Columbia; rare
in Southern California.
- Those termites occasionally
enter and destroy the rotting heartwood of old trees
or wet pine timbers in buildings.
Subterranean
 Characteristics
– Size: Worker:
1/8-inch in length. Soldier: Body is similar to that
of the worker. Supplementary Reproductive: About 1 inch
in length. Primary Reproductive: About 1 inch in length.
Color:
Worker: Light colored. Soldier: Light colored
with brown head. Supplementary Reproductive: Light colored.
Primary Reproductive: Dark brown/black.
- Soldiers have an elongated
head with pincer-like mandibles. Supplementary Reproductives
have either no wings or very short non-functional
wings, while Primary Reproductives have four wings
of equal size. Primary Reproductives are the termites
most often seen in the open. They are commonly referred
to as "swarmers."
- Behavior – This termite
is known to swarm in May and June, but small flights
can occur at any time of the year. Swarming is the
primary way the termite naturally spreads after it
has been transported to a new area. Three elements
are needed for swarming to be effective: 1) Proper
food resources (cellulose and wood), 2) moisture,
and 3) a physical niche. As the colony grows, specialized
castes are produced for the different tasks required.
The first caste produced is the workers. The second
caste is the soldiers. The third caste is the reproductives.
Two types, primary and supplementary, are produced
in a Formosan subterranean termite colony. The two
types have different functions. Primary reproductives
swarm and start new colonies. They are called alates
or swarmers. Although thousands of primary reproductives
are produced each year, they all leave the nest. Primaries
cannot become reproductive if they remain in their
colony of origin. In a Formosan colony, the only primaries
that reproduce are the original king and queen that
started the colony. Supplementary reproductives, on
the other hand, can become reproductive only in the
colonies in which they were born. They take over reproduction
when the primary king or queen dies or becomes separated
from the main colony.
- Habitat – Subterranean
termites live in colonies in the ground, building
vertical tunnels that look like mud tubes above ground
level so that they can search for food. Because subterranean
termites will die if exposed to air for an extended
period of time, the tunnels provide protection from
the open air, allowing workers to carry food to the
nest. Subterranean termites can form tunnels through
cracks in concrete, so slab homes are not exempt from
these termites. They need to stay in contact with
the soil in order to survive, unlike drywood termites
that only need low moisture.
- Tips for Control –
There are several things a homeowner can do which
can help prevent termite infestations or make them
easier to detect.
- Store firewood away from
the house. Make sure at least four inches of the foundation
can be seen all around the home. Siding should not
extend into the soil. Mulch and soil should not be
high enough to cover the siding. Make sure water drains
away from the foundation. Accumulation of water next
to the foundation is important for the survival of
a termite colony next to a home. Rain gutters are
ideal; however, the downspout should direct the water
away from the home. Roof or plumbing leaks can allow
termites to survive above ground in a house. These
should be corrected as soon as possible. Paint will
protect exposed wood against termites for about five
years, and commercial pressure-treated wood will provide
longer lasting protection. Before painting, all cracks
and crevices should be filled with putty or plastic
wood.
- Certain woods are naturally
resistant to termite attacks. Among these woods are
redwood core, bald-cypress, mahogany, and Spanish
cedar. These types of wood, however, will become susceptible
after several years of exposure to weather.
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