Subterranean Termite
Appearance
King and Queen:
- Up to one inch in length
- Light to dark brown in color
Soldier:
- Up to 1/4 inch in length
- White or light colored with a brown head
- Soldiers have jaws designed for fighting
- Jaws resemble pinchers
- Workers feed the soldiers due to the jaws
Termite Worker:
- About 1/8 inch in length
- White or light colored
Termite Swarmer:
- About one inch in length
- Black in color with four equal white or transparent wings
Behavior
King and Queen:
- Mature Swarmer that conducts reproductive functions for the colony
Soldier:
- Defends the colony
- When they bite an invader, they inject a white sticky fluid that hinders movement
Termite Worker:
- As the largest number of members of the colony, workers search for food
- Feed the king, queen and soldiers
- Build tunnels and open and close the nest when swarmers are ready to leave
- They are responsible for all damage done to a structure
Termite Swarmer:
- Are termites that are reproductive and ready to start a new colony
- Weather conditions must be good for a swarm to begin
- Swarmers usually occur in the spring months
- Social with colonies consisting of kings, queens and soldiers
- Colonies are created in wood
- No connection to the ground is needed
- They often are found in attic wood
- They require little moisture
- Piles of sawdust like balls are an indication of infestation
Diet
- Wood and other cellulose material
