Termites

Termite | What it is, Appearance, Types, and Much More

Termites are insects that often cause significant damage to wooden structures and other materials. For this reason, they can be considered a direct threat to wooden items, and eliminating colonies requires calling a professional pest control company.

If you want to know what termites are, what they look like, and the differences between these insects and ants, we recommend continuing to read this article and discovering everything you need to know to combat these pesky insects. We’ve prepared this article especially for you.

What is a Termite?

A termite is an insect with great voracity, which is why they often cause extensive damage to wooden constructions. They are commonly known as moths, termites, white ants, or wood ants. These insects are social, meaning they live in colonies, nests, or termite mounds.

Their activities are typically divided into specialized tasks or castes. In Latin America, it’s very common to find these insects in drywall panels or wooden articles or structures. Among all the names mentioned, the most popular worldwide is “Termites.”

Appearance of Termites

Termites are small insects, cream or white in color, usually measuring between 0.63 cm and 1.27 cm. Queens of the colonies are typically over 2.54 cm long. Termites have two pairs of wings, often black or brown in color, known as swarms.

Distinguishing Termites from Ants

It’s common for termite swarms to be mistaken for ants. Therefore, it’s important to mention that to distinguish termites from ants, you should consider the shape of these insects.

To do so, note that termites have straight, beaded antennae, whereas ants have bent antennae. Additionally, ants have three distinct body segments, unlike termites, which have only two body segments.

If you identify a termite swarm, we recommend calling a professional pest control company. You’ll need assistance to assess the damage and completely eliminate the colony. Therefore, we recommend using the services of Joroba Pest Control.

Types of Termites

There are three types of termites that you should know about if you want to identify which type of insect you are dealing with. Below, we’ll detail the characteristics of each of the three types of termites so you can understand them thoroughly:

Subterranean Termites

This type lives underground, constructing subterranean tunnels that allow them access to food sources above ground. To identify this type of termite, look for mud tubes or tunnels along the exterior of home foundations.

It’s important to note that this type of termite is the most common and prefers softwood. However, they can also feed on the outer surfaces of hardwoods or pressure-treated woods, causing minimal damage to these types of woods.

Drywood Termites

Drywood termites typically live inside the wood they consume, making them much more difficult to treat. They are named “drywood termites” because they can extract moisture from the wood they use as food.

Unlike other types of termites, drywood termites can remain inside the house and do not need to move to the ground to find moisture.

Dampwood Termites

This type of termite tends to stay close to the ground almost all the time. Their food source is damp or decaying wood.

Termite Colonies

As mentioned earlier, termite colonies are divided into castes, specifically three main castes. Each termite will become part of the colony and be a member of one of these castes: reproductive, worker, or soldier. Let’s detail each caste:

Soldier Termites

Soldier termites are responsible for protecting the colony from natural enemies and predators. The natural enemies of termites are ants, and soldiers use their large jaws designed to destroy other insects for defense. Soldiers are distinguished from others by their amber-colored heads, which are usually larger.

Worker Termites

Worker termites, also known as termite workers, are essential members of the colony because they create and find food supplies. They are responsible for feeding young larvae and maintaining the nest despite any adversities.

The worker caste is crucial due to its tasks; in fact, it can take years before other castes are created. Workers are the smallest in the colony and are the most common and popular caste within the termite colony.

Reproductives

The reproductive termites are the only caste with fully mature sexual organs and wings. They are the largest members of the colony, along with the queen. In addition to their reproductive role, they use their long mature wings to fly away from the colony and establish new termite colonies.

 

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