OUR NATIVE TERMITES — SNYDER 501 



the wood which they eat. Most of the more highly specialized termites 

 do not contain these symbiotic protozoa. 



There are other termites of interesting shape and habits, especially 

 in the Southwestern States. The nasntiform termites, species of 

 Teniurostritermes^ have a nasus or beak instead of biting jaws for 

 defense. From this exudes an acidulous secretion which gums up 

 attacking ants, usually at the pedicle or middle of the body. The 

 soldierless termites, species of Anoplotermes^ must rely on large- 

 jawed workers for defense. The desert termites, species of Amiternies, 

 destroy sound wood. Species of Gnathamitermes cover over vegetation 

 and wood with earthlike tubes to induce decay, then merely scarify or 

 erode the wood. These are highly specialized types of termites. 



Further studies are needed on all of these unusual termites although 

 none causes relatively serious damage compared with that caused by 

 the lower or less specialized groups. 



DAMAGE 



Only 11 of our 41 species of termites of the continental United 

 States cause serious damage. 



For convenience in control, the destructive termites of this country 

 have been grouped with: Dampwood types — Zootermo'psis angusti- 

 colUs (Hagen), Z. nevadensis (Hagen) of the Far West, and Pro- 

 rhinotermes simplex (Hagen) of southern Florida; drywood types — 

 especially Incisitermes Tiiinor (Hagen) of California, /. snyderi 

 (Light) of southeastern United States, and Cryptotermes hrevis 

 (Walker) of southern Florida; and subterranean types — Reticuli- 

 termes -fiavlpes (Kollar) common in the United States, except for the 

 Far West, R. virginicus and B. hageni of eastern United States, R. 

 hesper-us Banks of the Pacific coast, and the arid land subterranean 

 termite R. tibialis Banks of the Western States. 



For the last 10 to 15 years there have been noticeable movements 

 of termites. The large dampwood termite ZootevTnopsis angusticollis 

 has been shipped in green lumber from the Pacific coast into 20 States 

 east of its range but, so far as is known, has infested no buildings and 

 has nowhere become established. Its spread since 1960 is due to the 

 large amount of insect- and fire-killed timber salvaged and moved 

 east. 



Through the transportation of furniture, the drywood termite 

 Incisitermes minor of Western United States and Mexico has infested 

 houses in 12 States east of its range, but has not become established. 

 Cryptotermes hrevis has become a major pest of buildings in southern 

 Florida and has damaged buildings in five States north of Florida, 

 probably from infested furniture ; this termite has not become estab- 

 lished locally except in the Gulf States. 



