Pest termite groups
Generally pest termites could be separated into three main groups depending on their ecology. Those are subterranean termites, drywood termites and dampwood termites. Let’s take a short look at these groups.
The name Subterranean termites is applied to termites of genus Reticulitermes and Heterotermes¸ both being representatives of family Rhinotermitidae.
Subterranean termites form colonies of workers, soldiers and reproductives together with primary king and queen. As their name implies, they live in the ground, but above the ground these termites build vertical tunnels that allow them to search for food. The tunnels provide protection from the open air, allowing workers to carry food to the nest.
Subterranean termites are highly destructive to different common building timbers, eating mainly the spring wood and leaving the harder summer wood sections.
Subterranean termites may be found in every state except Alaska.
Formosan termite - Coptotermes formosanus is also a subterranean termite, but because it is the pest termite species making most damage in the world today, it should be separately noted.
The Formosan subterranean termite has been spread worldwide from its native range in southern China and in 1957 it was recorded in the continental United States – from South Carolina.
Unlike native subterranean termites, Formosan termites build huge underground colony systems - often 10 times larger than those of other subterranean species. Moreover, they also build large carton (mud) nests – workers make them from soil, chewed wood or plant matter, their own saliva and feces.
Like many other termites, the Formosan termite feeds on wood and other materials that contain cellulose. In the United States it causes tremendous property damage resulting in enormous treatment and repair costs. Because Formosan termite colonies can contain over 8 million individuals compared with about 1 million termites in large native subterranean termite colonies, they can cause damage at an accelerated rate.
Another group of termites is called Drywood termites and they belong to genus Kalotermes, Incisitermes, Cryptotermes and others from Kalotermitidae family. Unlike most other termite groups, drywood termites do not need high moisture for their colonies – they infest the structural timbers of buildings, furniture and other dry timbers having less than 12% timber moisture content. No ground contact is needed and the required moisture is taken from the infested timber.
Another distinguishing feature is that drywood termites have no worker caste - colonies are composed of kings, queens and soldiers. The work is performed by immature termites before they become adults. Colonies usually contain only up to 2.500 members. Winged reproductives fly from an existing colony, pair and fly to new dry wood areas.
Drywood termites can be transported in infested furniture, picture frames, and other articles made of timber. If the infestation is severe and extensive, the entire building may need to be fumigated with insecticides.
And the last group of wood eating pests - Dampwood termites belong to family Termopsidae with several genuses as Porotermes. Zootermopsis in it.
Dampwood termites will only infest wood with a high moisture content, such as logs, stumps, and dead trees that are still standing. These termites eat across the grain of wood, through spring and summer wood, making chambers and galleries, and the tunnels which connect them. Dampwood termites do not create shelter tubes like subterranean termites do.
Dampwood termites can be mainly found in the coastal mountains and inland mountains of California, Oregon and Washington, and to a limited degree in Arizona and Nevada
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