TERMITES EASTERN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES are the most common and most widely distributed termites in all of North America.  • Eastern Subterranean termites feed on cellulose materials including structural wood, wood fixtures, paper, books and cotton, and will occasionally attack the roots of shrubs and trees. • A mature colony of Eastern Subterranean termites can range from a low of 20,000 workers to a high of five million, with an average of 300,000. - The colony’s queen acts solely to reproduce and may add 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year to the total. - Colony growth is slow, and it may take 4 to 10 years before swarmers are produced. - The king and queen in a colony can live for many years, while workers only live for about 2 years. • An average colony can consume five grams of wood per day. This is equivalent to over 2 linear feet of a 2x4 annually. • Colonies are largely located in the ground below the frost line, but secondary colonies can exist above ground. - Above ground, colonies must have access to a moisture source, such as a roof or plumbing leak. - Eastern Subterranean termites will often build shelter tubes for travel between their colonies and their food sources. • Eastern Subterranean termites can enter buildings through cracks less than one-sixteenth of an inch wide. • Swarming may occur in the spring, but smaller swarms can occur throughout the summer and fall.  After swarming, males and females shed their wings, pair up, and attempt to start a new colony.

• There are several signs of termite infestation: - Small holes in wood - Drywall that is cracked or crumbling - Sagging doors or door frames - Swarmers (termites with wings that usually appear in Spring and Summer) - Presence of translucent wings shed by the kings and queens during swarming Visit the Termite Institute™ online at www.TermiteInstitute.com to learn more about Eastern Subterranean Termites and to see an interactive map with localized information on termite activity by state. *Information obtained from BASF at www.pestcontrolfacts.com

TERMITE FACTS TERMITES have been found across 70 percent of the world and have survived environmental changes for more than 250 million years, and can adjust to almost any climate. • Termites exist in every state in the United States except Alaska. • Termites feed on cellulose, the primary component of wood and wood-based products. • Americans spend more than $5 billion every year treating for termites and repairing the damage they cause. • Termite damage can go undetected for years. • Most homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover termite damage. • Some termite species need only a space one-sixteenth of an inch wide – the thickness of a piece of paper –to enter a home. • There are five major types of termites throughout the United States: Eastern Subterranean termites, Western Subterranean termites, Desert Subterranean termites, Formosan Subterranean termites and Drywood termites.

Pest ID Library Source Data: Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, Gainesville,
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences