Cooperative Extension TERMITE MANAGEMENT FOR HOMEOWNERS Termites are considered Arizona’s number one urban pest. As a homeowner, you may encounter termites at sometime or other. If you find termites in your home, it’s important not to panic. These small animals take a very long time, often years before structural damage is present in the home. Therefore, the information provided here is to enable you to make intelligent decisions regarding termite management options. It’s important to contact several pest management professional (PMP’s) for estimates. If you already have a pest control service you may want to contact them for an estimate. Attempting to control termites on your own is not recommended. Termites are small animals found primarily in the tropical regions of the world, where they play a role in the recycling wood and other cellulose-based materials. Termites are in a group of insects, which alone comprise the order Isoptera (iso-ptera = “equal-winged”). They are so named because the primary reproductive adults usually referred to as “swarmers”, have two pairs of equal length wings. There are currently approximately 2,761 named termite species in 282 genera worldwide. About 45 species occur in the continental United States with nearly 30 causing damage to wood and wood products. At least seventeen species of termites occur in Arizona, but only three species are considered to be of any significant economical importance. Scientists have placed all the termites into 3 broad categories based on their habitat: dampwood, drywood and subterranean. In Arizona, dampwood and drywood termites are not wide spread problems but can be under certain conditions. Subterranean termites on the other hand are considered one of our major urban pests. Figure 1. Basic Termite Life Cycle Biology: Termites live in true social groups with a division of labor between the different castes of individuals. Within these castes are a complex life cycle with the development 3/2005 AZ1356 of individuals that look and behave differently from other THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA members of the group. The different castes are separated COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND LIFE SCIENCES into adult reproductives, workers and soldiers. In order to TUCSON, ARIZONA 85721 get a better understanding of the termite life cycle, I will describe the process beginning with a primary reproductive PAUL BAKER or king and queen, also know as alates (Fig 1). These adults Specialist, Entomology can vary in color from light tan to reddish brown to nearly This information has been reviewed by university faculty. black. Adults range in size from ½ to 1 inch plus with wings attached. The eyes are fully developed, with mandibles (jaws) typically visible, and membranous wings. Paired cals.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/az1356.pdf antennae are often bead-like or moniliform. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, James A. Christenson, Director, Cooperative Extension, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, The University of Arizona. The University of Arizona is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities. During certain times of the year, the alates leave the colony Types of Termites in a series of dispersal flights or swarms. During this time, As previously mentioned, in Arizona we have 3 categories of adults may be attracted to lights, where pairing begins. As termites of which 2 can be considered pests, drywood termites the alates, both males and females, land on the ground, the and subterranean termites. Drywood termites, as the name wings are shed and they start searching for a suitable place implies, are capable of infesting drywood that is not in contact to initiate a colony. The males are attracted to the females by with the ground. Because they do not construct earthen a scent or pheromone, and follow the female. Together they mud tubes, like subterranean termites, they are usually very dig into the wood or moist soil depending on the species and easy to identify; infestations however, are harder to detect. form a chamber, where mating takes place and the queen A good sign of drywood termite infestation is the presence begins to lay eggs. Of the millions of alates that swarm every of hard, dry fecal pellets that usually form piles (Fig. 3). year, only a small percent, usually less than 1%, survive to Under a microscope the pellets have pronounced dimples, produce a colony. like dried corn kernels. Drywood termites are larger than subterranean termites approximately ½ inch; they construct The worker caste, the one most homeowners see, are larger galleries, and in a large number of cases are found responsible for performing the labor within the colony. They around door and windowsills. There are two important care for the eggs and young; construct the colony tunnels species of drywood termites in Arizona: Incisitermes minor along with repairing the damaged ones; forage for food; (Hagen), and Marginitermes hubbardi (Banks). Other species along with helping other termites when they molt or grow; that occur are not considered pests. Incisitermes minor is the and groom, clean, and provide food for other nestmates, as most common of the drywood termites and probably the well as for one another. They help soldiers in defending the most destructive. This species attacks all types of dry sound colony if an attack occurs from ants or foreign termites. As for wood. They occasionally are found in furniture and other the soldier caste, there main function is to defend the colony wood products in areas that normally would not have this against other termites and ants. In general, it does this by species. Soldiers have large jaws, with the basal segment of using its large opposing jaws or mandibles. the antenna slightly enlarged. The adult bodies are two-toned in color, with a brown head and thorax and a brownish-black Identification is the key to any termite management strategy abdomen. Adults have been observed to fly on bright sunny and thus it’s important to obtain samples of soldier termites days in June to August, unlike the subterranean termites, and when at all possible winged adults. Winged ants are often they are not timed to coincide with the rain. (For more details mistaken for winged termites, but several characteristics can see the U of AZ “Drywood Termites”). be seen with the naked eye that will help differentiate the two insects (Fig. 2). Ants have two pairs of transparent wings of Subterranean termites derive their name from the fact unequal size, while termites have four equal-sized wings that that they live in contact with soil as a source of moisture. For generally fold over the back. In addition, the region of the these termites to move into a wood source above ground, body behind the wings is “pinched” in ants but completely they construct tubes made of soil, soft fecal matter and straight in termites. Termites are sometimes referred to as wood chips. There are 3 species of subterranean termites “white ants” because they look like ants but they are found in Arizona that are likely to cause structural damage. A in a mud tube. These white termites should be collected and destructive termite found in the desert southwest is the used for identification arid-land subterranean termite, Reticulitermes tibialis. Arid Figure 2. Comparison Between Reproductive Ant, Termite, and Web Spinner 2 The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Figure 3. Drywood fecal pellets and damage land termites naturally occur in the deserts where they where they feed by scraping dead wood off the exterior. As attack creosote and greasewood bushes. Thus, when homes a homeowner you might have observed dead grass or a twig are built in these settings, the natural food source has been covered with the thin layer of mud, that if disturbed, the removed; they may begin to attack the structure. The timing termites G. perplexus scurry to go underground. In general, of the winged reproductive swarms depends on the elevation these termites are not pests and should not be treated for in Arizona. Below 4,000 feet, the arid land termite swarms unless they are found inside a structure. Adults are ¾ inch between January and March. Above 4,000 feet, they swarm long including the wings, and are brown in color. They are in June and July. The adults are about ½ inch long with wings diurnal (morning/night) fliers and usually fly after a summer and 3/8 inch long without wings. They are dark brown to rainstorm. Soldiers have mandibles (jaws) that are curved black, with dark leg areas and almost colorless wings. If inward with an obvious inner tooth. This tooth is used to you come across an infestation and can collect a soldier(s), distinguish the damaging species of termites from the desert it still may be difficult to identify, because it looks very close species. (For more information see the U of AZ “Arizona to the desert termite Heterotermes aureus. In fact, the soldier Termites of Economic Importance”). mandibles need to be dissected and examined for selected Detection/Inspection characteristics. In general, the soldiers are 3/8 inch long with for the presence of termites in mandibles (jaws) that are nearly straight. The most common many cases can be difficult. Even though termites are made up and by far the most destructive are the desert subterranean of numerous individuals, they are quite secretive and spend termite, Heterotermes aureus (Snyder). Despite its limited most of their time either in the soil or inside wood.