A large population of the conehead termite was first discovered on Dania Beach, Broward County, in the United States of America. Records also reveal that they were also found in Panama, Mexico, and also the West Indies.
How to Identify a conehead Termite
Soldiers of this species can grow to a maximum size of only 0.2 mm and possess black brown cone-shaped heads.
However, their mandibles are entirely different from other termites.
Rather than the regular crab-pincher appearance, they are simply pointed, similar to the end of a needle. The soldiers are about 20% of the population in a colony. The alates have dark-brown bodies and wings and female workers are generally larger than males.
What do conehead termites survive on
Conehead termites can feed on any form of wood; dry, wet, hard, soft, or decomposing.
Their feeding habits are so aggressive that they aren’t restricted to feeding on chopped trees or wooden surfaces alone, but also living and dead trees.
Their colonies reach maximum capacity when workers and soldiers climb over 60,000 respectively.
A single Conehead termite colony can comprise over 100,000 to more than a million termites.
Common signs of conehead Termite Infestations
- Mud tunnels on walls and trees
- Detached wings of swarmers
- Residual fecal pellets
