Biology of Termites
When you think of a termite, you probably picture something very similar to an ant in your head. The actual appearance of a termite is quite different from that of the ant; in fact it can be hard to believe that these soft looking creatures could cause so much damage to a home.It’s important to understand the appearance and biology of termites in order to create an effective pest control program. In the past, effective programs were measured by the amounts of chemicals used and the disappearance(from sight) of the targeted species. This method proved both ineffective and dangerous, and pest control companies and individuals are finding that an integrated pest control program can have much better results without the inherent dangers of spraying. Let’s take a look at termite biology to give us a background of why certain treatments are the most effective.
Social structure of termites
Like ants, termites live in a hierarchical social structure which places clearly defined roles on individual insects. The king and queen are the sole reproducers in the colony, and a single female can lay thousands of eggs each day. The queen can grow to huge proportions, turning into a big white mass with what appears to the face of an ant attached to it. Soldiers and workers form the other parts of a termite colony.
Termites also tend to send out juveniles in the spring time in order to form new colonies. The appearance of these winged insects is often one of the first signs that an infestation may have occurred.
Appearance of termites
We have already gone over the appearance of the queen termite, but workers and soldiers tend to look much different. Workers are soft, pale white insects which do all the work, including food gathering and raising the young, within the colony. Soldier termites, along with the social structure, may be what causes people to think ants when they see a termite. Soldiers appear very similar to ants, although they tend to have white bodies instead of black or white. The soldiers are present solely to protect the colony from attack, usually by their main enemy, ants.
Termite diet
Unlike carpenter ants, which chew wood into sawdust to expand their colonies, termites will actually eat wood. Actually, what the termites are after is the cellulose in the wood, and therefore different species will be attracted to different food supplies. There are four different species found in North America, with the subterranean version being the most common. We discuss all four species in greater detail in an article on their control; one for subs and another for the other three, less common species.
Technorati Tags: termites, pest control, exterminator