Probably the most prolific and common termite in the United States is the Eastern subterranean termite or Reticulitermes flavipes. It is widely distributed throughout the country and is commonly found in majority of eastern U.S. states.

The eastern subterranean termite is a social insect that tend to live together in colonies. One small colony alone can house a hundred thousand individual termites. Although a colony nest can appear as a single mound from the soil surface, it actually has numerous underground tunnels that extend from the nest towards the feeding sites. These sites contain favorite termite fare, which is wood and wood-based products.

Termite caste

Reticulitermes insects have three types of castes – the reproductives, the soldiers and the workers. The reproductives are made up of male and female termites that may be winged or wingless. Their job is to reproduce and replenish the colony.

In an Eastern subterranean termite colony, there is usually one pair of principal reproductives – the king and queen. In case they die or become injured, there are other termites that will take their place, called the neotenic reproductives.

The soldiers are wingless termites and are bred to become the colony’s primary form of defense. As such, they have large heads and jaws or mandibles. Their job is to protect the colony against invaders including their sworn enemy, the ants, who often raid the termite nest.

The workers, also wingless, resemble the soldiers somewhat but have smaller heads. They are sterile, blind and soft-bodied and are also the colony’s most numerous occupants. They are also the ones that inflict the most damage, eating as much wood as they can and bringing it back to feed other termites.

Workers are also the colony’s busiest members, working non-stop day after day. Other than bring the supplies, they are also responsible for caring for the eggs and the young termites, perform construction and repair work and if necessary, become part of the colony defense.

Reproduction

Reproductive duties of the termite colony are delegated to the queen. She is a huge creature compared to other termites, capable of producing an average of 2,000 termite eggs per day. That’s over 18 million termites in her lifetime. It is her job to ensure the continuance of the colony.

Swarming

Swarming happens when Eastern subterranean termites need to find mates to establish a new territory or colony. These mates usually come from other colony nests. Swarming usually happens during spring and may extend intermittently throughout the summer. Only termites coming from a mature colony will swarm, which takes several years. However, when the nest starts to swarm, that is a sign of danger to wood, timber and cellulose-based materials in the vicinity.

The problem with Eastern subterranean termites

Although highly fascinating insects, Eastern subterranean termites are highly destructive. They are the main cause of insect damage to building timbers, especially the Douglas fir, capable of devouring the wood’s internal timbers, resulting to a shallow, weak structure.

Eastern subterranean termites are also highly capable of invading homes unseen and generally undetected, becoming known only when the damage has occurred. Their ability to destroy has cost millions of dollars of damage to property, both residential and commercial, far more damage than disasters such as floods or fires can cause. They are also careful insects, with well-honed instincts for survival. If disturbed, they will change locations and continue doing damage someplace else.

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