Pest Library

Characteristics

Dampwood are known to be the largest of all termites.

Reproductives or alates - The reproductive castes have wings and are cream to dark brown in color. They are an inch long including the wings. Successful reproductives that can find a proper nest will soon become the king and queen of a new found colony.

Soldiers - Soldiers are long and are 3/4 inch or 20 millimeters in length. Their head and their jaws made up one-third of their length. Their body has a cream coloration, but their large head is colored reddish brown to black.

Nymphs - Nymphs are white or cream, and are just about 1/2 inch or 1 millimeter in length.

Habitat

These termites are found in tropical areas. They have over 100 species that is mostly distributed all over the world. Dampwood termites are common in urban places as well as forests and woodlands. They usually infest damp and decaying wood with a high moisture content. Conditions where moisture build up is present may invite these termites to enter a structure and create nests on it.

Behavior

These termites build galleries, which can destroy wood. Their networks of galleries are well constructed and well-hidden that it may take time for homeowners to find them. To create new colonies, alates will leave their old one and will go through multiple dispersal flights. They are attracted to lights and may be seen coming near porch lights and indoor lights.

Food

Dampwood termites prefer to live in wood that is rich in moisture. They feed on wood and will burrow deep into the wood that they are infesting.

Life Cycle

To create a new colony, a female and male reproductive should successfully mate. They need to find moist wood as soon after mating to start their colony. Reproductives that are not able to find a proper nesting site will automatically die. For those few that will succeed, the alates will first seal the entrance of their new found nesting site with fecal secretion so that the female can begin laying her first batch of eggs. A successful colony will need years to fully develop. The queen’s main job is to lay eggs so that she can produce her larvae. After a couple of years, she will also be able to produce soldiers. When the colony becomes mature, her first batch of alates will also disperse to begin their own colony.

Other Information and Tips

Just like any other termite species, dampwood termites can cause structural damage. It is best to find the infested wood and get rid of the colony. However, searching for the infested wood may also be difficult, especially if they have made it indoors. If infestations are found, it may also be difficult to treat the wood as it may already be rotten to save. To solve the condition, make sure to fix any moisture problems that allowed these termites to thrive indoors, get rid of the infested wood, and replace it with a new one. Also, contact your local termite control specialist to effectively and efficiently get rid of these termites as soon as they are found.