| Subterranean Termite |
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(Length: 1/8" – 3/8")
These are social insects living in colonies in the soil. The colony
is made up of workers, soldiers and reproductives. Subterranean
Termite colonies feed on wood or other cellulose material such
as paper, cardboard and fiberboard. They do excessive damage in
the U.S. every year. Workers are blind and cream colored, entering
homes while foraging for food, through cracks as small as 1/64".
The workers return to feed the other members of the colony on a
regular basis. Winged reproductives (swarmers) are dark, and many
lose their wings shortly after their swarming flight. |
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| Subterranean Termite Swarmer |
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(Length: 1/2")
These dark brown to black winged insects are the male and female
reproductives. They emerge from the colony in a dark cloud at least
once per year. Their short flight drops them to the ground where
they then seek the proper conditions for the king and queen to
start a small brood chamber in the soil. The swarmers are often
confused with winged ants. The major visible differences are the
waist (pinched in the ant, broad in the termite), the antenna (elbowed
in the ant, straight in the termite) and the wings (two different
sizes in the ant, all the same size in the termite). |
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| Drywood Termite |
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(Length: Up to 1/2")
This termite species does not live in the ground, but lives inside
wood. They are most likely to be found in humid, coastal areas.
Their colonies are much smaller than subterranean termites, and
infestations found in wood are usually confined to a small area.
One sign of a drywood colony is the presence of fecal pellets,
often found in piles like tiny stones. Drywood termites push out
these pellets through small "kick-out" holes they make.
The holes are later resealed. |
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| Drywood Swarmer |
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(Length: about 3/16")
These brown flying insects, identified by 3 darker veins on the front
edge of their wings, swarm in late Spring and early Summer. Presence
of straight antennae and only two distinct body segments differentiate
them from flying ants. |
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| Formosan Subterranean Termite |
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(Length: About 1/2")
Like subterranean termites, Formosan termites feed on cellulose material
(i.e. wood), but they are more aggressive and attack wood at a
much faster rate. They nest in the ground but can also live in
aerial "carton" nests they make from chewed wood, soil,
saliva and fecal matter. A Formosan termite colony is significantly
larger than that of the subterranean termite, and can cause significantly
more damage in a shorter period of time. |
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| Powder Post Beetle |
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(Length: 1/8" – 1/4")
Adults are reddish brown to black and very slender. The Powder Post
Beetle damages seasoned hardwoods such as flooring, furniture and
structural woods. The larva, living in and eating the wood, can
take up to four years to develop. Their presence is often indicated
by piles of fine dust and by small exit holes in the wood. Control
requires treatment by fumigation or replacement of the infested
wood. |
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| Old House Borer |
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(Length: 1/2" – 3/4")
This is a member of the group known as "long-horned beetles".
Eggs are laid in crevices of the bark of cut logs. The whitish larva
live 3-5 years or more, eating through the wood. During quiet times,
their feeding may be heard as clicking and rasping sounds. Adults
leave infested wood through oval holes about 1/4" in diameter. |
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| Carpenter Bee |
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(Length: 3/4" – 1")
These large dark bees that resemble bumble bees are often seen hovering
around the eaves of a house, wooden fences or the underside of
deck in the late spring. They bore round holes into wood to nest.
They will nest in a wide range of woods, but prefer weathered and
unpainted wood. Typically they do not cause serious structural
damage unless a large number of bees are involved over a long period
of time. Male carpenter bees tend to be territorial and can become
aggressive towards humans by hovering close by. But this is merely
a show as they have no stinger. |
