Subterranean Termite Information

Description:  Western subterranean termites are found along the pacific coast to western Mexico and east into Idaho and Nevada. Termites are social insects, which live in large colonies. There are three castes: reproductives, workers, and soldiers. Termite antennae have bead-like segments. The winged reproductives (swarmers) have a pair of long wings (equal in size) attached to the last two thoracic segments. The wings are broken off after swarming. The abdomen is broadly joined at the thorax unlike the narrow abdominal attachment found on ants.

The winged reproductives are dark brown to almost black and about 3/8-inch long. The wings are brownish gray with a few hairs and two dark veins on the leading edge. They have a very small pore (i.e., fontanelle) on their heads. The soldiers are wingless with white bodies, rectangular yellow-brown heads that are two times longer than their width, and large mandibles, which lack teeth.
Biology: Subterranean termite colonies usually are located in the soil from which the workers build mud tubes to structural wood where they then feed. Subterranean termite colonies are always connected to the soil and/or close to a moisture source.

Termites digest cellulose in wood with the aid of special organisms within their digestive system. The workers prefer to feed on fungus-infected wood but readily feed on undamaged wood as well. The foraging workers feed immature workers, reproductives, and soldiers with food materials from their mouths and anuses.

A mature queen produces 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year. An average colony consists of 60,000 to 250,000 individuals but colonies numbering in the millions are possible. A queen might live for up to 30 years and workers as long as five years.

Q: If treated, how long will it last?
A: Studies conducted by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture suggest that all of the registered termiticides should control termites for at least five years if they are applied at label concentrations and rates. The actual length of control, for a given structure, will depend on such factors as thoroughness of the application, the prevailing environmental conditions, and density of termites in the area. If termites continue to be present the year following treatment, it's probably not from degradation of the termiticide -- but because termites have found an untreated gap in the chemical barrier.

Q: Will the termite chemical harm my family or pets?
A: Termiticides are tested extensively for adverse effects on health. Before a product can be used, numerous studies must be conducted by the manufacturer and independently evaluated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Based on the current body of research, these registered termiticides present no significant hazard to humans, pets or the environment when applied according to label directions. In spite of the negligible health risk from a termite treatment, people with lingering
concerns should consult their physician.

Q:Does my entire house need to be treated -- or can I just do a "spot treatment" in areas where I see termites?
A: Subterranean termite colonies can be very large; a single colony may contain a million or more individuals. Termite workers (the life stage doing the damage) can also forage considerable distances in some cases, the entire length of a football field. This means that the termite colony or colonies responsible for damage may actually be in a neighbor's yard, rather than beneath the house which is infested. For these reasons, localized or "spot" treatments are generally a gamble, except in cases of retreatment. Most reputable pest control firms will not guarantee or offer a limited guarantees for spot treatments, since it is likely that termites will eventually find other points of entry into the structure.

Control: Subterranean termite infestations may go unnoticed until the winged reproductives "swarm" from or inside the structure. The presence of swarmers is a good sign that a well-established colony is in the house and/or its immediate vicinity. Other evidence of infestation is wood damage, i.e., the spring, or soft, wood is eaten out leaving paper-thin walls between the galleries, and the presence of mud tubes. Control of subterranean termites begins with:

• A thorough inspection to determine the extent of the infestation
  
• It is necessary to sound structural timbers with a screwdriver or other sharp instrument in order to find galleries
  
• Development of a plan of control
• Provide a barrier between the colony in the soil and the wood in the structure to be protected.

Steps for the homeowner:

• Remove scrap wood, firewood, and any other wood materials that are in contact with the soil.
  
• Fix any Water leaks
  
• Drainage around the structure should be designed so that there is no accumulation of water near the foundation.

Preventing Future Infestation:
 
Treatment with Tim-Bor® (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) a product made by U.S. Borax, kills the termites and protects treated wood from attack by making wood members indigestible to termites.
Tim-Bor penetrates into the wood by vapor pressure and moisture. Several applications ( up to maximum of 4) to exposed unfinished wood members will provide layers of protection.