TERMITES

Termites have been in the environment for more than 250
millions of years. They are social insects that live in colonies that generally
they are located in the ground or in the wood. Most of them feed on the
cellulose from wood or wood-derived products, such as paper;
some tropical species feed on fungi, carrion, etc. Have
worldwide distribution with around 2,500 species described, 50 of which
They are in the United States.
Termites are generally divided into three groups based on the
colony location: Subterranean, drywood and wooden termite
damp. To have effective control it is necessary to have detailed knowledge of
each group, since the biology and habits of each one are different.
The most common and economically important members of these three
groups can be summarized below. The most common of the termite
underground are the eastern, western subterranean termite, and the Formosan termite;
for the dry wood termite the most important are the dry wood termite
from the west, from the southeast, and the termite of dust from poles or furniture; and in the
case of the wet wood termite, the ones that cause the most problems
are the Pacific wet wood termite, the Nevada / small / dark one, the
desert and Florida wetwood termite.
In the southeastern desert, the underground desert termite, Gnathamitermes
spp, makes phones ring in the rainy season when they cover the
tree trunks, fences and dry rubbish with their earth covers. Without
However, since they do not cause structural damage, anxiety is alleviated with education
of worried people.
RECOGNITION. Body with three body regions (head, thorax and
abdomen) broadly united without the constrictions found in ants.
Moniliform antenna, composed of a series of bead-like segments.
Tarsus of four segments. Fences present.
Creamy white workers with slightly darker heads. Without
presence of eyes or ocelli (simple eyes). Absence of wings.
Creamy white soldiers except for the very large dark head.
Head with a pair of large jaws, except the nasutiform soldiers with
absence of jaws and head prolonged in the form of a characteristic beak.
Absence of compound eyes, but some with pigmented areas. In general
with a fontanelle (pore-shaped opening of the frontal gland) above the
head. Absence of wings.
Winged (primary breeders / winged) depending on the species
pale yellowish to reddish brown to black. Compound eyes present and a pair of
ocelli (except Zootermopsis spp.). Some with fontanelle (opening in the form of
pore of the frontal gland) above the head. Two pairs of wings almost equal between
if in length and width, which lie flat on the abdomen when not in
use. Wings almost clear to smoky black. Usually darker veins; the
number and position of them are used to identify groups. The veins of the
wings from opposite or costal margin (coast or C), they are subcoast (Sc), radial (R),
radial sector (Rs), mean (M) and ulnar (Cu); some of them may not be
present due to fusion or reduction. Wing base with a fracture line
where the wing breaks after swarming, leaving a small
basal portion called alar scale.