Queens Exterminator Termites

Queens Exterminator Termites

Queens Exterminator Termites 718 701 8254

Termite, (order Isoptera), any of a group of cellulose-eating insects, the social system of which shows remarkable parallels with those of ants and bees, although it has evolved independently. Even though termites are not closely related to ants, they are sometimes referred to as white ants. Phylogenetic studies have shown that the closest relative to the termite is the cockroach; for this reason termites are sometimes placed in the order Dictyoptera, which also contains the mantids.

In addition to naturally occurring termites, many species have been inadvertently transported by humans from their native habitats to new parts of the world. Termites, particularly Cryptotermes and Coptotermes, have been accidentally transported in wooden articles such as shipping crates, boat timbers, lumber, and furniture. Because dry-wood termites (e.g., Cryptotermes species) live in small colonies in wood and tolerate long periods of dryness, they can survive in seasoned wood and furniture and can easily be transported over long distances. Members of the family Rhinotermitidae (e.g., Coptotermes) require access to moisture and cannot survive prolonged dry periods. Coptotermes formosanus, widely distributed in Japan, Taiwan, and South China, has been introduced into Sri Lanka (Ceylon), the Pacific islands, South Africa, East Africa, Hawaii, California, and the southern United States. C. formosanus is unusual for the family in that it can survive without direct soil contact as long as a moisture source is present. In the United States the species has been found to have well-established colonies in the upper reaches of buildings, using small leaks in the roof as a moisture source. A termite native to the United States, Reticulitermes flavipes, was found in the hothouses of the Royal Palace in Schönbrunn, in Vienna, and the species was reported and described in that location before it was discovered in the United States. The termites presumably had been shipped from North America in wooden containers of decorative potted plants.

Importance

Termites are important in two ways. They are destructive when they feed upon, and often destroy, wooden structures or vegetable matter valuable to humans. Introduced species, because they are not so well equipped as native species to adapt to changes in their new environments, tend to seek shelter in protected, man-made environments such as buildings and thus are likely to become the most serious pests, causing significant damage to houses and wooden furnishings. Some termites feed on living plant materials and can become serious crop pests. Termites are also extremely beneficial in that they help to convert plant cellulose into substances that can be recycled into the ecosystem to support new growth.