B: Primary queen
C: Secondary queen
D: Tertiary queen
E: Soldiers
F: Worker
Hello Readers!
As we may have mentioned in previous posts, there are over 4,000 different types of termites. Can you imagine 4,000 different species of people? Yikes! (Actually, have you ever been to Venice Beach In California?)
Now as it turns out, a lot of these species are very important to their local environments as their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. In Kenya, for instance, termites are literally part of the landscape. Worker termites (termites, like ants and bees, have a caste system) build giant mounds above ground.
Sometimes these species find ways to relocate. One very destructive species, the Formosan termite, invaded the continental United States from China. These termites cause tremendous property damage, resulting in enormous treatment and repair costs. This species is sometimes referred to as the “Super Termite” because:
- It has very large colonies.
- A single colony can forage up to 300 feet.
- It infests a wide variety of structures (including boats and high-rise condominiums).
- It can consume 13 ounces of wood in one day. At this rate, serious damage to a structure can occur in only three months.
These termites have been found in southern states such as Florida, Texas, and South Carolina. They have even been reported in Alhambra, California, but fortunately, they have yet to become endemic to this area.
In Southern California, our biggest concern is three types of termites: drywood, dampwood, and subterranean. While not as rapidly destructive as the Formosan, our indigenous species are still dedicated to the demolition of wood structures in California. If you’re a property owner with a termite problem, then you have learned how dedicated these termites can be.
In future posts, we’ll talk more about our local species of drywoood, dampwood, and subterranean termites that Southern California home and property owners need to be alert to.
However, Dear Reader, if you can’t wait for the next post and have more questions or if you are in need of a San Diego termite exterminator, fumigation services, or termite inspections and control in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County, or anywhere else in Southern California, call Hi-Tech today!