Termite Inspection & Control Methods – Termite Prevention …

Posted by matt jones on Monday, April 1, 2013 Leave a Comment

Termite Part of the Termitoidae family

Termites

Overview: Termites consist of thousands of different species of insects that feed on dead organic material. They most commonly feed on wood, and they are most widely known for causing structural damage to wooden buildings and also causing significant harm to crops and other forms of vegetation.

Latin Name: Part of the Termitoidae family

Description:

Termites are only distantly related to ants, but share many similarities. Termites are often confused with flying ants because they look very similarly to one another. Both are brown in color, approximately one centimeter in length, and have long slender bodies, large wings, three pairs of legs, and antennae. However, unlike the ant, the termite does not have an abdomen, the head is more round, and the antennae are straight instead of elbowed.

Also like the ant, termites live in large colonies where they operate within a hierarchical system. There are workers, soldiers, and queen termites. However, the duties of a termite are different from the ant. The termites role in nature is to work within their colonies to destroy and break down organic material.

Termites are one of the most reviled and feared types of pests because they are capable of causing large amounts of costly damage. These insects are able to so much damage because they can infest and multiply within a crop or a home to very large sizes before they are ever detected. If regular termites inspections or prevention measures are not in place, termites can cause widespread structural destruction before they are noticed.

These insects tend to thrive in warmer climates, and are most active in North America during springtime. However, as there are roughly 3,000 different species of termite, there are varieties that can live and grow in nearly any region. The different types of termite will live in different materials and feed on different sources. There are subterranean termites that prefer to live in mounds of soil, while there are other species that will live inside the drywall of a building, destroying the structure from the inside out. These pests can obviously cause major problems for humans.

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Termite Inspection & Control Methods - Termite Prevention ...