Our Native Termites 



By Thomas E. Snyder 



Honorary Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution 



Since termites are social insects and have a caste system and di- 

 vision of labor, there has been considerable interest in their habits. 

 They also cause large amounts of damage and consequent money 

 losses. This article discusses the termites of the United States, the 

 damage they cause, and recent researches in termite control. 



HABITS 



Termites are most abundant and conspicuous in tropical countries 

 where their high mound and tree nests attract the attention of the 

 traveler. However, some termites occur in countries with temperate 

 climates. In the continental United States, 41 living species (4 

 families) and 16 fossil (5 families) termites have been found. The 

 living species have been found in 49 States. It is believed that 

 all of these termites are native, with the possible exception of Orypto- 

 termes brevis (Walker) which may have been introduced into Key 

 West, Fla., from some nearby tropical island. 



The nests of our native termites are inconspicuously located in 

 stumps, logs, dead trees, fenceposts, utility poles, the woodwork of 

 buildings, or in the ground. Subterranean termites may move from 

 ground to wood and vice versa. The population of Zootermopsis 

 colonies may be several thousand. The drywood termite colony {In- 

 cisitermes)^ reaching 5,000 individuals, is large. One quarter million 

 individuals of a subterranean Reticulitermes colony constitute prob- 

 ably the maximum population, in contrast to several millions in some 

 nests of tropical termites. 



CASTE SYSTEM 



The different forms or castes of these social insects include: The 

 reproductives or primary macropterous pigmented king and queen, 

 developed from winged adults ; the brachypterous or short wing pad 

 slightly pigmented supplementary reproductives, developed from 

 nymphs, and the very slightly pigmented apterous reproductives, also 

 developed from nymphs; the soldiers or defense caste, which cannot 

 feed themselves; and finally, the worker caste which do most of the 



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