Eastern Subterranean Termite
Reticulitermes flavipes
Class: Insecta
Order: Isoptera
Family: Rhinotermitidae
American Pest Management's termite programs keep your home free of termites with treatments for Subterranean termites and fumigation for Drywood termites.
Size: Eastern subterranean termite swarmers are about 3/8 in (9mm) long, including wings.
Characteristics: Swarmer: Front wing has 2 dark, hardened veins in front part; other veins are not pigmented, with a few barely visible hairs. Front wing scale is larger than hind wing scale. Soldier: Head is rectangular in shape, not narrowed towards front; length is about 1.5 times the width. Mandibles lack teeth and tips curve inward.
Color: Body is dark brown to almost black. Wings are translucent to slightly smoky.
Geographic Range: Southern Ontario, Canada south through the eastern United States and into Texas.
Comparison with other species: Unlike this eastern subterranean species, the western subterranean termite soldier has a head that is twice as long as broad. Desert subterranean termite swarmer has wings covered with hairs; body is pale to brownish yellow: soldier has head rounded on all sides, and tapered towards the front. Most other termite swarmers in western states have 3 or more pigmented veins in front wings.
Habitat: Colonies are usually in the ground, below the frost line, and above the water table and rock. Mud tubes are built to reach food sources. Secondary colonies can exist above ground if a moisture source, such as leaky pipes, is present.
Food: Spring wood; the subterranean termite cannot effectively digest the lignin in summer wood.
Biology: Similar to western subterranean termite. After swarming, a pair breaks off their wings and burrows into the soil. Here they mate and the femaile produces only a few eggs the first year, increasing up to 5,000-10,000 eggs a year when she is mature. The queen can live for many years, and workers can live 1-2 years. Swarmers are produced the 3rd or 4th year at the earliest. Swarming occurs in the daytime, typically during the morning of the day following a warm rain. Spring is typically when swarming occurs, but it may possibly be followed by one or more smaller swarms until winter. In the extreme northern states and Canada, swarmers are rarely seen.
Invasion: Structures are entered through cracks less than 1/16 in (1-2mm) wide.
Damage: Subterranean termites eat mostly spring wood, leaving the summer wood, so that damaged wood appears to be layered. Soil is found in the galleries
Detection:
- Presence of swarmers, workers or soldiers .
- Evidence of damage to structure.
- Thorough professional inspection
Environmental Policy
The employees of American Pest Management are committed to improving the quality of life for all of our customers by providing the safest and most effective treatment for the management of pests which pose a threat to their health, property, and food supply. History has shown that neglecting to control pests such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, rodents, and ticks, and the misapplication of pest control products are equally dangerous.
