SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE Family Rhinotermitidae
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Appearance:
Workers are cream colored and wingless. Soldiers have elongated brown
heads with mandibles. Supplementary reproductives are light-colored,
while primary reproductives are dark brown or black.
Size:
Range from 1/8 to 1-inch in length.
Behavior:
Subterranean termites usually swarm in spring, but swarms can occur at
any time of the year. The primary reproductives swarm and start new
colonies. Supplementary reproductives can only reproduce in their own
colony. They assist with population growth of the colony. Subterranean
termites have a worker caste, while drywood termites do not.
Habitat:
Subterranean termites live in colonies underground, but are able to
reach food above ground by building tunnels called mud tubes. They are
dependent on moisture for survival, unlike drywood termites that only
need low moisture. Subterranean termites can invade homes through
cracks in concrete, so slab homes are not safe from this pest.
Economic Significance:
Termites cause over a billion dollars in damage to homes each year, and
subterranean termites are responsible for the majority of that damage.
Their colonies can contain up to a million termites and are much larger
than drywood termite colonies.
Control:
Do you live in Southern California and think that this termite may be invading your
home? Trump Pest Control offers specialty treatments
designed to control and eliminate this pest!
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(877) 270-2847 Office (877) 962-3794 Fax
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