Dry Wood Termite

Facts about Drywood Termites, "Scientific name for Drywood Termite is Incisitermes mino". Drywood Termite is the most common species of termites which is native to California and is considered to be the most important termite pest. The Drywood Termite has been extant in the region for over millions of years. The Drywood Termite has been found to infest primarily dead wood in trees along washes, arroyos, and rivers. The Drywood Termite can also be located along the coastal regions of the Pacific which extends into the deserts and the Central Valleys of Southern California.

The most popular sighting of the Drywood Termite is the swarms which are characterized by a flying ability. The swarms usually occur during the day in summer and fall. Some varieties occur in Florida extending as far as North of Virginia. The Drywood Termite lives entirely within dry wood of dead trees and requires no contact with the ground or soil. Some of the Drywood Termite variety can be found in the lower Montane and coastal regions of the southern parts of California including most of the areas along the coast of Washington and Oregon. The Drywood Termite has also been located in most of the isolated regions in the high deserts surrounded with trees. The range extend from Baja California, Mexico, Sonora to central Arizona.

The Drywood Termite swarms can grow and develop to maximum lengths of approximately twelve millimeters. The Drywood Termite have two sets of wings which comprises of three well pigmented, heavy veined wings in the outer parts. However, the swarms often shed their well marked wings more rapidly. Usually, dead swamers do not have wings on their bodies. The solders of the Drywood Termites have large sized mandibles with wide pronotum and teeth. Many of the Drywood Termite workers and soldiers have larger body sizes than those of the subterranean.

The Drywood Termite usually feeds on cellulose materials and wood. They often create colonies in wood, dead trees and firewood from residential areas. The Drywood Termite can be found infesting most attic wood, foundation vents, under wood shingles, eaves and fascia boards, and through natural joints and checks in exposed wood trim, door frames and sills with less or no moisture.

Upon clearing land for construction of buildings, houses and other structures, the wood used is then prone to attack by the Drywood Termite. The Drywood Termite swarms can penetrate flat wood surfaces. However, they usually wedge into narrow places to begin tunneling.

The Drywood Termite develops a nymph which passes through 4-7 instars before they mature to become adults. Upon attaining their sexual maturity, the nymphs swarm to form new colonies.

The Drywood Termite can be controlled. Some of the control measures required to eliminate the termite include applying chemicals , reducing the termites infestation potential, removal of infested wood and preventing termite entry