Types of termites

How to tell the types of termites apart

US homeowners meet four types of termites. Two questions sort them quickly. First, determine where the colony lives, either in soil or wood. Next, look at what the insects leave behind, such as mud tubes, pellets, or nothing. Understanding subterranean versus drywood termites helps guide the right treatment plan.

Subterranean termites (*Reticulitermes* spp.) nest in soil and reach wood from below. These subterranean termites live in nearly every state. They construct pencil-width mud tubes on foundations and piers. Workers measure about 1/8 inch and appear creamy white. Swarmers appear dark brown to nearly black with pale gray wings during spring afternoons. Their damage runs along the wood grain and stays packed with soil. Exterminators treat them at the soil with a liquid barrier or bait.

Formosan termites (*Coptotermes formosanus*) are an introduced subterranean termite. Colonies contain several million individuals. UF/IFAS reports Formosan termites in Hawaii, the Southeast, California, and all of Florida. Louisiana and the Gulf are the core areas. Swarmers measure 12 to 15 mm with wings and show a yellowish to amber-brown color. Fine hairs cover their body and wings. They form dense evening swarms at lights in late spring. This species builds spongy carton nest material inside walls. In a cold-winter northern state a spring swarm is far more likely a native subterranean termite.

Drywood termites (*Incisitermes*, *Cryptotermes*) live entirely inside dry wood. They require no soil contact and build no mud tubes. These drywood termites push waste through pinhole kick-out holes measuring 1 to 2 mm according to UF/IFAS. Homeowners learn what termite pellets look like when small piles of hard six-sided pellets return after sweeping. UC IPM notes their range includes the Pacific coast, California's Central Valley, and southern deserts. UF/IFAS places them in southern Florida, Hawaii, the Gulf, and the coastal Southeast. Treating the soil around a drywood infestation is a common, expensive mistake. Homeowners must use whole-structure or local wood treatment instead.

Dampwood termites need wood with high moisture levels. UC IPM notes that dampwood pellets are football-shaped and rounded at both ends. These pellets lack the ridges found on drywood pellets. UF/IFAS reports that drying out the infested area is usually enough to control dampwoods. Homeowners stop them by fixing leaks and replacing rotted wood. My page on dampwood termites covers where they live and how to tell them from drywoods.

If an insect has wings, check it against a flying ant first. Inspect the specimen to decide if it is a termite or flying ant. Termites have straight antennae, a thick waist, and four equal-length wings. The University of Kentucky extension entomology says a termite swarmer has straight antennae and a thick waist. This swarmer has four wings of equal length. Meanwhile, a flying ant has elbowed antennae, a pinched waist, and front wings longer than the back wings. In a cold-winter inland state, pellets are more likely powderpost beetle than drywood termite.