are of no economic importance to forestry. The adults are distinguished by their 
depressed, oval bodies, their nearly horizontal heads, their slender, depressed legs 
of almost equal size, and the absence of long ovipositors in the females. 
Order \Isoptera—Termites 
Termites constitute the order Isoptera. They are one of the oldest and most 
primitive groups of insects. Termites are social insects and live in colonies. In all 
species there is a definite caste system, with each of the adult castes performing an 
essential function in the life of the colony. Termites utilize cellulose, which they 
normally obtain from wood or other plant material, as their main energy source. 
Cellulose is normally indigestible to most animals; however termites have single- 
celled protozoa and bacteria within their digestive tracts that break cellulose into 
digestible units (58S). Many species of fungi are associated with termites in a 
beneficial manner. This association varies from little dependence on fungal activity 
in wood to a totally symbiotic relationship with fungi (/053). The influence of fungi 
on the activity of termites is poorly understood but some species, such as 
Gloeophyllum trabeum (Pers. ex Fr.) Murr. (Lenzites trabea Pers. ex Fr.), are known 
to produce an attractant and a feeding stimulant (S29, //2/). 
Only 38 species of termites are believed to be native to the continental United 
States. Of these, 14 are known to occur in the eastern half of the country, exclusive 
of western Texas (/267). In addition to these native species, two introduced species, 
Cryptotermes brevis (Walker) and Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, occur in the 
East. C. brevis may have been introduced into southern Florida. C. formosanus is 
believed to have been introduced into the Gulf Coast during World War II. 
Termites are small, cylindrical, soft-bodied insects sometimes without eyes. The 
antennae are moniliform and, in the winged adults, the number of antennal seg- 
ments varies from 12 to 25 or more. The median ocellus is absent. In certain 
species it 1s replaced by a more or less distinct opening of a gland known as the 
fontanelle. The wings are long and narrow and, when folded on the back, extend 
well beyond the end of the abdomen. In all North American species, the forewings 
and hindwings are similar in form and in the general features of their venation. The 
abdomen is broadly joined to the thorax. 
Termites have very few effective natural enemies that attack individuals in the 
nest. For example, there are no known internal insect parasites, and predacious 
enemies are largely limited to ants, lizards, and birds. During and after the 
swarming period the winged adults of many species are eaten by all sorts of 
animals, particularly other arthropods (scorpions, solpugids, spiders, centipedes, 
dragonflies, cockroaches. mantids, crickets, beetles, flies, and wasps) and verte- 
brates (fish, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes, birds, and mammals, including humans) 
(741). These predators may have some adverse effect on the establishment of new 
colonies but probably have no effect at all on the parent colony. As yet, there are no 
studies on the rate of predation and its possible significance in controlling the 
populations of a single species of termite (94/). Fungi, nematodes, and bacteria 
usually kill a small percentage of the individuals in a colony. Occasionally molds 
cause much heavier losses. 
In many parts of the Eastern United States, particularly the South, termites are 
almost universally present in stumps, logs, and other woody materials in contact 
with the ground. Termites are largely beneficial in forested areas because of their 
value in the decomposition of dead wood and its reincorporation into the soil. 
54 
