Termites - A Concern in 49 out of 50 States

Termites, sometimes know as white ants, are a group of eusocial insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order, Isoptera. Termites usually prefer to feed on dead plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter or soil, and about 10% of the 4,000 odd species (about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically important as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. Termites are significant detrivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.

In every state except Alaska, termites are a concern, including the common know Subterranean Termites, including Eastern, Western, Desert and Formosans, which build underground nests. Subterranean termites are extremely destructive, because they tunnel their way to wooden structures (like your home), into which they burrow to obtain food. Termites all share a virtually insatiable appetite for wood and other cellulose-containing materials. Given enough time, they will feed on the wood until nothing is left but a shell.

A Caste of Hundreds of Thousands
Termites are highly social insects that live in colonies. At maturity, colonies can number from several hundred to several million individuals. They are a prime example of decentralized, self-organized systems using swarm intelligence and use this cooperation to exploit food sources and environments that could not be available to any single insect acting alone. A typical colony contains nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both sexes, sometimes containing several egg-laying queens.

In the spring, winged reproductives leave the parental nest in swarms to create a new colony. The swarming lasts less than an hour, so it's very likely you'll never even see it. The winged reproductives themselves look quite a bit like flying ants, for which they are often mistaken.

Look for Signs
You're more likely to discover you have a termite problem by discovering the evidence they leave behind rather than the actual termites themselves. If you encounter any of these telltale signs, there's a good chance termites are busy snacking on your home:

• Piles of small, delicate wings shed by reproductives
• Small piles of sawdust
• Mud tubes built by termites for aboveground travel
• Damaged or hollow sounding wood
• Pinholes in drywall or wallpaper

For in-depth termite prevention, click here.

Of course, it's quite possible to have a hidden termite problem even if you never notice any of these signs. The best way to be sure is to contact a licensed pest control professional to conduct a complete inspection of your home.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Termites".