Termites | Termite Control | Termite Effects | Ter-Eliminate

Termites | Termite Control | Termite Effects | Ter-Eliminate

Termite Effects | Ter-Eliminate

Area of Distribution: The Eastern subterranean termite is the most common and widely distributed termite in the USA, commonly found from southern Ontario, in all eastern states of the USA including Texas. AREAS OF HIGH RISK INA VIRGINIA include Alexandria-VA, Arlington-VA, Blacksburg, Bristol-VA, Charlottesville, Chesapeake, Christiansburg, Colonial Heights, Culpeper, Danville-VA,Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Front Royal, Hampton, Harrisonburg, Herndon,Hopewell, Leesburg, Lynchburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, Martinsville-VA, Newport News, Norfolk-VA, Petersburg, Poquoson, Portsmouth-VA, Radford, Richmond-VA,Roanoke, Salem-VA, Staunton, Suffolk, Vienna-VA, Virginia Beach, Waynesboro,Williamsburg and Winchester-VA. Identification of Swarmers and Soldiers: Swarming generally occurs during the spring but occasionally a few smaller swarms may occur during the summer. Swarming most often occurs during the morning following a warm rain shower whereby the soil temperature is around 70°F.

Eastern subterranean termites are highly destructive to douglas fir and other common building timbers. They can rapidly eat out the internal sections of structural timbers - devouring mainly the spring wood, and preferring to leave the harder summer wood sections.  As`a result, infested timbers are often left as a thin shell with a honey-comb of layered hollow sections (as illustrated) packed with moist soil. These termites love a moist dark damp environment - it is essential for their survival - discussed in detail under Biology of Subterranean Termites - later on.

Within a termite nest there are members of different castes, each with a different role to perform and all interdependent upon each other for survival of the colony. These include the queen, king, the winged reproductive (young kings and queens), soldier and worker termites. 

The king, queen and worker termites.

Worker termites - thin external skin.

The queen termite is an egg laying machine; her body is enormous compared to her off-spring; she can live more than 25 years and produce more that 2,000 eggs a day.

The king and queen live in a central chamber and are tended by the workers.

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The workers are by far the largest caste in the eastern subterranean termite colony and the one that does the damage; they are a creamy translucent colour, soft bodied and carry out all work in the nest, including gathering food (timber and other cellulose); constructing tunnels; repairing and enlarging the colony nest; grooming each other and feeding the soldiers, the king, queen and also caring for the young nymphs until mature.

IDENTIFICATION: Eastern subterranean worker termites are small in size, about half the size of match-head or 1/8" long and are soft bodied insects. They have no wings, are sterile, blind and work 24 hours a day for their entire 2 year life span.