ENY- 2. 16/MG0. 64: Formosan Subterranean Termite. B. Koehler. 2This fact sheet is excerpted from SP4. Liquor (ret.) 7680 561621 A.D.T. Pests in and around the Southern Home, which is available from the UF/IFAS Extension Bookstore. In the United States it causes tremendous property damage resulting in enormous treatment and repair costs. It is sometimes referred to as the . Within the last 1. South Africa, Hawaii, and the continental United States. The first record of Formosan termites in the continental United States was in 1. Charleston, South Carolina. In 1. 96. 5 it was found in a shipyard in Houston, Texas, and within a few years colonies were discovered in Galveston, Texas, and New Orleans, Louisiana. It is believed that the Formosan subterranean termite was transported to port cities on the Gulf of Mexico and southeast Atlantic coast by ships returning from the Pacific Theater at the end of WWII. Currently, Formosan termites are found in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, while an isolated population was found near San Diego, CA in 1. Fig. In Florida, they have been found in Crystal River, Dania, Ft. Lauderdale, Hallandale, Hollywood, Jensen Beach, Jupiter, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens, Tampa, Tallahassee, Ft. Walton Beach, Pensacola, and several other western panhandle communities (Fig. Within the last two years, they have been discovered in Ocala (Marion Co.), Jacksonville, Trinity (Pasco Co.), Marco Island (Collier Co.), Bonita Springs (Lee Co.) Debary (Volusia Co.), Cape Coral (Lee County), and Interlachen (Putnam Co.). The Formosan subterranean termite has the potential to spread throughout the whole state. Young colonies living in potted plants, landscape timbers, or infested trees can easily be transported. A good example is given in Louisiana and Georgia where their spread was aided by homeowners who accidently brought termites to their homes by buying infested railroad ties at home and garden shops. Alates (winged reproductives) also can swarm from infested boats into new locations as the boats travel from place to place. Distribution of the Formosan subterranean termite in the United States. Swarms are quite large with up to tens of thousands of alates. The swarmers are attracted to lights and are often found around windows, light fixtures, windowsills, and spider webs in lighted areas. After swarming and landing on the ground, the alates break off their wings and search for a mate. Jon writes, 04/05/2011: How do you perform a termite treatment around a well on the property? How do you treat around the house with Dominion 2L. Or what is a safe distance from well to house being treated??Once a mate is found, the male and female search for a crevice in damp ground or wood, hollow out a small chamber, and crawl inside. The pair, now known as the king and queen, mate and within a few days the queen starts laying eggs. The young, known as larvae, hatch from the eggs and are fed by the king and queen. A mature colony contains distinct groups called castes (Fig. These castes look different from one another and each has a special duty within the colony. The king and queen are the primary reproductives and are responsible for reproduction. If the queen or king dies or the colony becomes large, secondary reproductives may form and begin reproduction. Soldiers defend the colony against predators and other natural enemies. Workers take care of and feed the larvae, reproductives and soldiers, tend the eggs, build and maintain the nest, and search for food. Alate nymphs become alates when they are fully grown. Figure 2. Life cycle of the Formosan subterranean termite. Some have been estimated to have over 8 million individuals compared with about 1 million termites in large native subterranean termite colonies. Like many other termites, the Formosan termite feeds on wood and other materials that contain cellulose which is the main structural component of plants. Bacteria and other single- celled organisms live in the termite digestive system and digest cellulose providing nutrition and energy for these termites. Do Formosan Subterranean Termites Eat Anything Else Besides Wood? Although they feed mostly on wood, they will eat other cellulose- containing materials such as cardboard and paper. However, they are known to chew through foam insulation boards, thin lead and copper sheeting, plaster, asphalt, and some plastics. Is It True They Eat Concrete? Contrary to popular myth, FORMOSAN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES DO NOT EAT CONCRETE nor can the soldier's defensive fluid dissolve holes in concrete. These rumors continue because Formosan subterranean termites are always digging through the soil.
Because of this continuous activity, they are likely to find cracks and crevices in concrete or mortar and gain entry to a structure. This can fool someone into thinking that Formosan subterranean termites can eat through solid concrete. Where Do They Live? Subterranean termite species, such as the Formosan termite, generally live underground. They tunnel through the soil in search of food. Unlike native subterranean termites, Formosan termites build large nests. These are made of carton, a hard material the workers make from soil, chewed wood or plant matter, and their own saliva and feces. Carton nests are quite impressive - a large, rock- like mass constructed by hundreds of thousands or millions of termites. Although nesting mostly below ground, some Formosan termite colonies will build above- ground nests that are not connected to the soil. Nests can be made in structures where the temperature does not get too hot or cold and there is plenty of moisture. Sources of moisture includeplumbing, water heater, and roof leakscondensation from air conditioning unitspoor drainage from gutters and flat roofsseepage and rainfall on boats and shipsporches, balconies, rooftops, etc. Formosan subterranean termite workers look similar to those of native subterranean species. It is almost impossible to positively identify Formosan termites with just the workers but the soldiers and alates look very different and are easy to identify. Soldier. Soldiers have orange- brown, oval- shaped heads that are quite different from the more rectangular, straight- sided head of native subterranean termite soldiers (Fig. There is a small pore, called the fontanelle, on the front of the head. The soldiers produce droplets of a white, glue- like fluid from this pore when they are attacked. This fluid gums up and disables attackers. Soldiers have black, sickle- shaped mandibles (jaws) that can be crossed to form an X. The bodies are yellowish- white and are about 1/5 to 1/4 inches long. Formosan subterranean termite soldiers are very aggressive. They will even attack fingers or tools if provoked, although their bite and fluid is harmless to humans. Figure 3. Soldiers (orange- brown, oval- shaped head) and workers of the Formosan subterranean termite. They are about 1/2 to 3/5 inch long from head to wingtip. The wings are clear with two heavily thickened veins on the leading edge (Fig. These hairs are clearly visible under magnification (Fig. Formosan subterranean termite wing. Close- up view of wing showing numerous small hairs. Here are some tips for sending or bringing your samples: Preserve the termites in rubbing alcohol and keep them in a small, non- breakable container with a tight- fitting, leak- proof cap or lid. Termites mailed in envelopes or sandwich bags dry out, get crushed, and break apart if they are not first put into a sturdy container. This often makes identification difficult. Do not stick termites on tape or tape them to paper. This makes identification difficult. Be sure to include the wings if you have alates. Remember, the better the condition your samples are in, the easier it will be to identify them. How Do I Know If My House Is Infested? Large carton nests in trees, attics, wall voids, etc., are obvious signs of an infestation. Sometimes the damage caused by Formosan subterranean termites is not so obvious. Soft spots, damp or moist patches, bulges, and blistered paint or wallpaper in walls, doors, floors, and other areas may indicate termite activity underneath. Probing these areas with a screwdriver may reveal damaged wood, soil, carton, and live termites. Formosan subterranean termite infestations are recognized by the presence of lots of soldiers. Subterranean termites crawling above ground build mud shelter tubes because they do not like being exposed in the open to light and air. The tubes keep the termites from drying out and shield them from predators, such as ants, and natural enemies. Shelter tubes are often found on walls coming up from the ground or floor (Fig. They may also be found sticking out or dropping down to the ground in crawl spaces, under porches or stairways, etc. Tubes and carton may be in places where they are difficult to see such as stucco or plaster cracks, tree holes, tree crotches, etc. You can break the tubes open to check for termites. Remember that Formosan subterranean termites swarm during the evening from April through July. Keep in mind that swarmers outside around your home could be emerging and flying in from somewhere else. Check carefully around the premises to see if they are coming from your property. Figure 7. Shelter tubes going up a wall behind a wood cabinet. There are two types of control available: soil termiticides and baits. The treatment used depends largely on the type and size of the infestation, and with which one the homeowner is most comfortable. Soil Termiticides. Pre- treatment. Treating soil with a liquid termiticide creates a chemical barrier beneath the structure (Fig. Depending on the chemical, the termites will either avoid tunneling through treated soil or die soon after they come in contact with it. Soil termiticides have been the standard preventive treatment for subterranean termites up until the mid- 1. Termiticides are applied before the foundation slab of a structure is poured. Under ideal conditions, protection should last from 5 to 7 years; but under less than ideal conditions or because of improper application it can be much less.
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