Subterranean termites are specialized castes of social insects that reside in underground colonies and perform specific colony activities. Workers, soldiers, and reproductives are the three main classes in the termite colony (kings, queens, and secondaries).
Unless a termite tube or a piece of contaminated wood is ripped apart, the creamy-white workers are rarely visible. The kings and queens are dark-brown or black in color and range in length from 3/8 to 1/2 inch.
They have two pairs of equal-length transparent wings that fall off immediately after swarming. Soldiers are around the same size as adult workers, with elongated yellowish heads and powerful jaws.
Host plant:
Termites eat on fallen trees, stumps, grasses, shrubs, and other decaying plant matter.
Territory:
Eastern Subterranean Terminmite is found in the entire eastern region of North America.
Damages caused by Eastern Subterranean Terminmite:
Termites are difficult to identify since they seldom appear in the open, and infestations might go undetected until they cause significant damage. As termites hollow out the wood, leaving a paper-thin surface, the surface of badly damaged wood may seem blistered or peeling. Wood can be probed with a screwdriver or ice pick to find contaminated wood in addition to the presence of alates and shelter tubes.
Life history and habits:
Infested houses may see swarms of the reproductive caste in late winter or early spring. Because the other castes do not like to expose themselves to light, the black, winged termites are the most usually seen. Winged termites are drawn to light and swarm around doors and windows when they first enter a structure. The termites rip off their wings and search for a mate after crawling or fluttering around for a brief period. Each pair tries to find damp wood in touch with the soil to start a new colony, but only a few succeed. The winged forms cause little damage to the house, even though they can be a nuisance.
