TOP ELEVEN PEST- "Desert" Subterranean Termites
Specifically the Desert Subterranean termite or Heterotermes aureus is found almost only in the Sonoran desert in
southern Arizona. Also a few of this species can be found in a small adjacent area of California and northern Mexico.
They live in the ground and eat cellulose from desert plants including dead cactus, but can severely damage posts, and
the wood of buildings.
Identifying:
There are other species of subterranean termite in Arizona, this one just happens to give us some greater challenges. Identifying
the species is probably not important for the homeowner, but knowing if they are subterranean is important. When subterranean
termites come above ground to forage, they build mud tubes. These tubes protect the termites from the heat and light they encounter
above ground. Down in the soil where they live the temperature is fairly cool and constant, and it is moist. Above ground they try
to duplicate those conditions with these adobe structures. Without these mud tubes, the termites would not survive long enough to
successfully forage above ground.
Subterranean termites eat mostly spring wood, which they prefer over the lignin-containing summer wood. Hence, damaged wood looks to be
layered. Sometimes there is soil present in the galleries. The Desert termite is less dependant on moisture and decay than other
subterranean species.
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They will readily attack sound dry wood. A typical sign of infestation is the presence plugged with feces and soil.
They are similar in size to some ants, but have no pigment in their skin (exoskeleton) for coloration, so they appear white or whitish. Another difference with ants is that ants have a pinched waist, and termites don’t.
Annually termites will produce winged reproductive members to spread out and create new colonies. These termites will swarm during the monsoon rains and try to pair off as new kings and queens to start their own little colonies. Most of these termites don’t make it. Birds and lizards either eat them, or they crash into a solid surface where they can’t reach the soil.
There seems to be a great deal of luck involved for these guys to survive. They are poor fliers with no eyes, so finding a suitable spot to set up housekeeping, while avoiding predators is a real long shot. Yet they manage well enough to be a significant pest to man.
| Swarmers hoping to set up housekeeping |
Soldiers are the protectors of the colony |
Control two ways: barrier or elimination |
Control:
There are basically 2 ways to control subterranean termites. One is to block their entry into your home with a barrier in
the soil or the walls of your house. The other is to try and kill them with a baiting program. At Arizona Organic we can do
either, and will show you the pros and cons as they relate to your house. We will then give you our recommendation, and
then let you decide which option makes more sense for you. And of course, we can do this with naturally occurring materials,
so you don’t have to worry about exposing your family to large quantities of strong chemicals.
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