The most common type of termite encountered is the Drywood Termite (Incisitermes Minor, Kalotermes). The Drywood Termite has reported infestations from California to Florida along the southern part of the United States. Occasionally infestations have been reported in other areas of the continental United States and these have usually been traced to movements of furniture or other personal goods.

The Drywood Termites are larger than the Subterranean Termites but smaller than the Dampwood or Formosan Termites. The Drywood Termite colonies appear in wood above ground, the Drywood Termite has no connection with the ground and does not need the moisture provided by such a connection. The colonies are often found in dead branches of a tree, dry portions of a tree stump, firewood, and wood structure homes. Often the first indication of a Drywood Termite infestation is the presence of fecal pellets (frass) or droppings. The pellets are small cylindrical shaped objects that have a longitudinal impression that can be seen with the help of a magnifying glass. The pellets may pile up on an area near the infestation or fall to a place close to the "kick out" hole.

The infestation appears in or around the spot that the male and female reproductive chose as a place to begin the new colony. Often times a different type of dropping may be found in this area called marital frass. The colony can radiate out from that point traveling with the grain of the wood. The colonizing pairs can enter any exposed wood, taking advantage of any cracks, holes, or other areas that allow them access.

The two major areas for controlling Drywood Termites in the United Sates are California and Florida. The largest commercial concentration of termite control is taking place in Southern California in the Los Angeles basin ( from San Luis Obispo to San Diego). 72 percent of all treatments performed in California are non-tent fumigation methods (ie. Heat, Tim-Bor)

A healthy colony of Drywood Termites may have as many as 2500 individuals in it. The Drywood Termite colony, however, does not produce a true worker caste as is present in a Subterranean Termite colony. All of the nymphs in a Drywood termite colony ultimately either become soldiers (who protect and provide for the colony) or swarmers (alates, kings and queens) who leave the colony during swarming season. The swarming process happens once per year per colony, usually in early to mid fall (Sept. To Nov.). Since so many new kings and queens are being released, new separate infestations in a single residence can be widespread and the termite colonies can do substantial damage.

Drywood Termites do not build mud tubes, nor do they have a liquid fecal material as the Subterranean Termites do. Drywood Termite nymphs only move from one piece of wood to another if its is abutted to another piece. The Drywood Termite needs wood to wood contact. Instead of producing a liquid fecal material they produce a pellet consisting of the left over cellulose in their intestine after the protozoa (protozoa are microscopic animals) have produce all of the sugar that is needed. The large intestine of the Drywood Termite removes the water from the waste material and then compacts in into the fecal pellets and extrudes them through the anal opening. When to many of the fecal pellets accumulate in the gallery system, one of the nymphs eats a hole to the exterior surface of the wood and the pellets are kicked out, while the pellets remaining inside the gallery system they are tightly packed. The pellets once pushed out through the "kick out" hole pile up thus revealing a Drywood Termite infestation. The inspector and service technicians look for the presence of the pellets.

Drywood Termite Worker

The Subterranean Termite are the most common throughout the United States. There are three species of the Subterranean Termite; the Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes Flavipes), the Western Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes Hesperus), and the Formosan Subterranean Termite (Coptotermes Formosanus). As the first two names state they are native to that part of the United States, however, the Formosan Subterranean Termite is present in numerous areas of the United States including Hawaii, with the greatest population along the gulf coast area of the southern United States. There have only been two reported cases of Formosan Subterranean Termites in Southern California.

The word "subterranean" means down in the earth. This statement is true when representing the Subterranean Termite colonies, however, to which depth in the earth varies from right at the surface to many feet into the ground.

The Subterranean Termite requires the earth to replenish the moisture that they can not receive from the wood itself. Often the question is asked "how long can a Subterranean Termite stay inside a structure or out of a nest?". although there is no definite answer to this question it is believed that a Subterranean Termite can remain out of the nest for up to 24 hours depending on the conditions (length of travel, temperature, humidity). When the individuals are in the subterranean nest, they are in a relatively damp environment and are therefore "plumped" with more than enough moisture. Their abdomens are fat with the moisture needed to survive the journey out of the nest. After they have stayed for a while in drier atmosphere of the wood inside a structure they tend to become dehydrated and return to the nest for the vital moisture.

The Eastern and Western Subterranean Termites have a worker caste that begins at the level of nymph, the individuals of this caste remain workers for their entire life span they do not become soldiers or swarmers. The worker caste performs the day to day work of the colony and live for two to three years. The accumulation of these individuals in the colony account for the much larger populations of the Subterranean Termite colonies (approx. 60,000 to 80,000 individuals) than that of the Drywood Termite (approx. 2500 individuals) which does not have a true worker caste. The other caste systems include the soldier (protecting the colony), supplementary reproductives (swarmers), and the primary reproductives (king and queen).

When the king and queen of a colony are alive they are able to repress the formation of any other egg laying individuals, referred to as the supplementary reproductives. Should a king or queen die for any reason the, the colony will then produce a supplementary reproductive to take the

place of the deceased member. Although the colony is usually headed by a single pair of primary reproductives they may be replaced by a large number of supplementary reproductives.

Occasionally Subterranean Termites are cut off from their return to the nest perhaps by treatment or other reasons, but they manage to survive. In such an instance, provided there is adequate moisture along with other favorable conditions a secondary colony can be established. A supplementary reproductive will be established and the colony may continue to exist, even though the individuals are unable to return to the ground.

Subterranean Termites can construct mud tubes or tunnels from the earth to the feeding area, including over metal barriers, foundations, or piers. Subterranean Termites are excellent engineers and can construct these tubes so they are air-conditioned and can hold the required moisture levels needed for survival. These mud tubes are constructed form grains of dirt stuck together with their saliva or liquid fecal material. Drywood termites produce fecal pellets and do construct tubes. Subterranean Termites do not have a fecal pellet, but produce a liquid fecal material that is used in the mud tube construction. The Subterranean Termite can thus travel up from the earth, over the foundation to the wood above without being seen or exposing itself to a potentially hostile environment. The presence of such tubes are what the inspector and technician try to locate during the inspection and treatment process. Since termites do not sleep, and work 24 hours a day, they can build these mud tubes quite rapidly and repair damaged tubes in a short period of time.

The individuals of the Subterranean Termite colony eat cellulose (wood or paper) which is converted into sugar in their gut with the help of protozoa. A constant supply of cellulose is important to the welfare of the colony and the workers are therefore constantly probing for a good food source.

The most important parts of Subterranean Termite control are the removal of the mud tubes and an application of a suitable residual control product to provide a protective barrier.

Subterranean Termite Worker