These include California, Hawaii, Florida, Arizona, South and North Carolina, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Puerto Rico). Piles of their fecal pellets, which are distinctive in appearance, may be a clue to their presence.įrom these areas, winged reproductives seasonally migrate to nearby buildings and other structures usually on sunny days during fall months.ĭrywood termites are usually found in the humid coastal and subtropical regions. They remain entirely above ground and do not connect their nests to the soil. The Drywood termites variety has a low moisture requirement and can tolerate dry conditions for prolonged periods. This includes structural lumber as well as dead limbs of native trees and shade and orchard trees, utility poles, posts, and lumber in storage. Drywood termites do not need a source of water and live off of the water that is produced from the digestion of the cellulose.ĭrywood termites infest dry, undecayed wood. After 15 years, the dry wood termite colony will have grown to approximately 3,000 individuals. At this time, the colony may swarm to start the cycle over again. After four years, there may be as many as 700 individual dry wood termites in one colony. In the first year, colony size may be only around 50. They mate and fly to new dry wood areas enter a small hole in the wood and start to form a colony. Habitat:ĭrywood termites live in small social colonies in dry wood. They have other microorganisms (protozoans and bacteria) in their stomachs that help break down the cellulose that then can be digested by their metabolism. They can not digest the cellulose directly. They eat wood in houses, utility poles, furniture and dying trees. Wood and occasionally other cellulose materials. During the winged stage, there are four equal size wings that extend longer than the body by 1/8-1/4 inch.ĭrywood Termites - Soldier 3/8 inch Diet: Drywood termites have bodies soft and cylindrical in shape, usually pale brown in color six-legged they have compound eyes and chewing type mouthparts. Male and Female reproductives up to 1/2 inch long. The soldiers have powerful mandibles to attack their enemies (usually ants). In dry wood termites, it is the workers who do the wide-spread destruction. The vast majority in the dry wood termite colony is the worker caste and the workers, and the reproductives have chewing mouthparts especially adapted for chewing wood. Their are no workers in the dry wood termite group - instead the young reproductives and soldiers serve as workers until they mature. Only the reproductive dry wood termites are winged (4 wings). Each performs a separate biological function. They live in undecayed wood with a low moisture content.ĭrywood termites are in distinct forms or castes - reproductives, workers, and soldiers. Unlike the Subterranean termite, dry wood termites do not require any contact with the soil.
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