The Bug "O" Pedia - Subterranean Termites...

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SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES

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Subterranean Termite: Order Isoptera
Appearance: Four "castes" of a termite colony:
Worker: approximately one-forth of an inch long, light colored, wingless;
Soldier: elongated head with mandibles;
Supplementary Reproductives: wingless or very short, non-functional wings; light colored;
Primary Reproductives: winged, and darker than other members; caste most often seen by homeowners.
Habits: Live in colonies underground, from which they build tunnels in search of food; able to reach food above the level of the ground by building mud tubes; dependent on moisture for survival.
Diet: Wood and other cellulose material.
Reproduction: Different rates of growth from egg stage to adult depend on individual species; one queen per colony, which can lay tens of thousands of eggs in her lifetime, but most eggs are laid by supplementary reproductives in an established colony.
Other Information: Cause more damage to homes in U.S. than storms and fire combined; colonies can contain up to 1,000,000 members.