The western subterranean termite has some unique qualities that set it apart from other subterranean termites, even though they have so much in common.
The soldier caste of this species is made up of larger termites with rectangular heads and long pincher-like mandibles for protecting themselves and the colony.
The workers are cream-colored, making them appear like carpenter ants. The unique quality of this species is that the swarmers are not the reproductive ones. Only the queen is capable of laying eggs and does very effective work at that, producing over 2000 eggs every day.
The western subterranean termites may not pose that much of a threat to your home because they don’t consume hardwood. However, if you have decaying wood, fallen trees, stumps, and dead softwood plants, they’re likely to feast on those.
Another unique feature of this species compared to other species is that they have a weird feeding system known as Trophallax, where colony members feed off the food content in the guts of one another. This makes it easy for food to reach every termite in the colony.
Some infestation signs you will notice if you have the western subterranean termites in your home include:
If you have a pest control problem give us a call or fill out this form
