Termites are a group of insects known as the woodlice. These small, wingless insects spend much of their time underground where they shelter from heat and moisture.
They can survive for years in these conditions, sometimes for years! That is what makes termites so fascinating – you never know what they will introduce into their home and how it will impact the surrounding environment.
Home owners often worry about termites attacking their home structure, but this rarely happens unless the home is not maintained properly. If it does happen, then the owner should get help quickly as the house will need to be completely repaired!
Luckily, in most cases, termite treatments do not work and people who trusted their home maintenance should see the results.
Contents:
Size
termites are typically sized in relation to other insects. Most are about the size of a showed cockroach, about an inch long.
They can be very large at times, like the giant red flour moth that infests homes and has been seen in Arizona! These insects can range from very small to large, depending on the area they live in.
Some termites grow as large as four inches long! As you may know, people do not usually consider bugs big, but they can be!
Termites are typically white or cream with some black and/or brownish markings. They have two dark bands along their length: one on either side of their head. These bands help them differentiate between different parts of their bodies.
Wings
Termites can look like wings. They use them to move through the trees they eat through. These wings help them to cruise around the tree in search of insects and nutrients.
Wings are a common feature in Arizona trees. These trees often have a rotating pattern of wing-like structures called crescents. These crescents are made up of old leaves that have fallen.
These crescents are inhabited by many insects, so termites can be a great source for an insect survey. Because these crescents are such an integral part of the tree’s life cycle, identifying these structures is a important part of termite control.
Due to their frequent appearance, wings are often mistaken for branches or leaves. However, when present, they should be inspected for size and presence of feathers.
Exoskeleton
Termites are most recognizable as tiny, brown or black beetles with long legs. These termites have small wings, but no legs!
They feed on roots and other underground things to get their food source. Their bodies are constructed of sawdust and other dry materials they find.
Their termite queen rules the colony, project management devices her soldiers into the spaces between the logs to forage. She is very powerful, so she must be careful.
If a soldier does not feel like foraging, she or he will leave from the outside of the colony to find another log to settle down. This happens when the soldier becomes bored with her or his assigned log!
The soldiers patrol their area for days before leaving to find new logs to forage on.
Antennae
Antennae coach a long, slender stalk that protrudes from the roof of a termite’s home. On this stalk, the termites build their hive.
Teenagers assist with building and check on their work as leaders. The older members of the group work together as coordinators to build prosperous colonies.
The group works as a unit for most steps of building a colony, from designing an entrance to managing the colony during its life cycle. Once it is established, the Coordinators ensure the colonists remain productive and safe.
During peak development, some workers can reach nine inches in length!Termites are an extremely popular science topic due to their unique life cycle.
Head
Termites have a head that looks like a saw tooth. This is due to the fact that it is lined with downy hair that lines the head.
These pests also have long legs, so it makes it look like they are moving away from you. When you see this, it can make you feel insecure as to your home and property. Because of this, many people avoid termites as potential home invaders.
However, there are ways to recognize a termite home because it may look like paraffin wax or silicone lining the interior of the termite’shome. These materials may appear creamy or hard, respectively.
Thorax
Termites are relatively small insects, and thorax is the part that they go for. When they get into a house, they go to the basement or cellar where they find a place to settle in.
Thorax is the termite’s hard outer case that protects its body. It also is the location where termites reproduce so finding new homes isn’t a waste of time!
Thoracic cases are usually white or cream in color, sometimes with lines and patterns. They can be very long or short, depending on what you want! Some even have reliefs cut into them- like on a box!
If you want to see what termites look like without a thorax, read on! We will tell you how to tell whether or not an individual is with or without a thorax.
Abdomen
Termites are a big part of our food supply. They play a key role in the digestion of our plants!
Termites are typically small insects that can be as long as five inches. They have four legs and two antennae on each side.
Termites look similar to ants, but smaller. They have a queen and possibly many offspring she cares for, buttermilk storage units.
Most termites are green, not white like parasitic wasps. White wasps lay black eggs that turn white when exposed to air and sunshine.
If you think you have a termite infestation, look for tell-tale signs such as big chunks of wood missing, sawdust everywhere, and unexplained water damage.
Legs
Termites have three main legs on their body. These legs are used for walking, running, and hiding. When it needs to, a termite can reach a top speed of over 10 MPH!
Like all insects, the shape of its body affects how fast it is. Smaller termites move slower than larger ones, making them useful for building termite colonies.
Like other bugs, termites are famous bug “ designers ” . Some build intricate homes with hard surfaces like floors, walls, and ceilings. Others roll up their feet to protect delicate skin from hardened excrement.
Termitism , the art of designing your home with termitis , is quite popular! One way to spot a designer is by the patterns and textures they use in their homes.
Termites play an important role in Arizona by working as builders for new colonies.