Pest Library

Characteristics

Three primary caste:

Reproductives - Drywood termites also have swarmers and alates that differ in body color. These reproductives can be dark brown or light yellow tan. The color of their wings is almost clear to smoke gray and contains distinctive veins in them. The main reproductives are the king and queen, however, they can be replaced by immature secondary reproductives in the case that they die.

Workers - Immature workers are wingless with ¼ to 3/8 inch in size. The immature workers make up for the entire colony.

Soldiers - Soldiers on the other hand, looks the same as the workers, but are larger than them. Their heads are brownish to yellowish in color and have big heavily sclerotized mandibles.

Habitat

Drywood termites are considered social insects since they survive by living within a colony. Their colonies are placed inside a sound, dry wood. They can create nests in roof materials and wooden wall supports. Although their name suggest drywood, they can still create nests in areas where water source is available. They can create their nests around a leaky pipe or on a water heater. Homes that have dead wood can also be a good habitat for these termites.

The first sign of a drywood termite infestation is by searching for pellets. These pellets are created by termites and are usually removed from their galleries through “kick holes”.

Behavior

Unlike other termite species, drywood termites do not rely on moisture to survive. They do not even need soil contact to be able to create their nests. They just need to extract enough water from their wood source to be able to survive. They can also produce water on their own during their digestive process.

Their colonies are made of kings and queens and secondary reproductives. Their offsprings start as eggs that will become immature, then adults. Unlike subterranean termites, their colony is small that is made of a few thousand individuals, and the development of their colony is slow. They do not live underground, they do not need to maintain contact with the soil, and they do not build mud tubes.

Food

Drywood termites prefer to eat wood as their main source of nutrition. They have the ability to break down wood particles and absorb the wood. Workers will distribute their food by providing the king and queen with enough food, then their alates, solders, and their youngs.

Life Cycle

Drywood termites create winged alates or swarmers that will leave the colony once the colony matures so that they can create their own colony. Swarming activities mostly happen at dusk or during the night. They are attracted to light and may be seen hovering around lamppost or lights outside the house. They may even get inside a home and fly over the nearest light that they can find.

Other Information and Tips

Knowing if a home has termites may be difficult since it is also hard to find external damage created by these pests. When an external damage is exposed, it could also mean that the damage is already severe. However, there are also some simple indications that a wood is already being consumed even without seeing the workers themselves. For instance, the presence of fecal pellets that are made underneath the infested area, or the appearance of tiny holes in the surface of a wood can show the presence of termites. In most cases, homeowners will notice the presence a termite infestation once the colony has already matured. If termite infestation occurs, contact your local termite control specialist. Treatment for drywood termites may include fumigation or wood injection that your local termite control specialist can perform to totally eradicate these pests.

Photo by Ra Inta, CSIRO [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons / resized from original