Author Archives: Andrew

Q: What is the Most Common Sign of Drywood Termites? A: The most common sign of Drywood Termites is small fecal pellets that are small (about 1/25 inch), hard, and elongated with six sides.

Q: What is the Most Common Source of Drywood Termites in North Carolina? A: The most common source of Drywood Termites in North Carolina is infested furniture brought here from other states such as Florida, California, New Mexico, Hawaii, and … Continue reading →

Q: Which Type of Termite Forms a “Carton” Nest? A: Formosan Termites form a carton nest.

Q: How Long Does it Take for a Subterranean Termite Colony to Reach a Mature Size of 60,000 Termites or More? A: It takes 3 to 5 years for a Subterranean Termite colony to reach a mature size of 60,000 … Continue reading →

Q: What are Worker Termites? A: Worker termites are the creamy-white, eyeless, wingless termites that perform the actual work of the colony.

Q: What are Soldier Termites? A: Soldier termites are termites with enlarged, dark heads, sword-like mandibles, and no wings. They guard the colony against predators, primarily ants.

Q: What are Protozoa? A: Protozoa are microorganisms that break down cellulose in the hindgut (intestines) of the termite.

Q: What are Secondary Reproductives? A: Secondary reproductives are wingless or nearly wingless termites that do not leave the colony. They produce eggs to supplement the queen’s egg production, enabling the colony to grow at much faster rate.

Q: What are Primary Reproductives? A: Primary reproductives are also called “Swarmers” or “Alates”, they are the winged members of termite and ant colonies. Primary reproductives fly out of a colony to mate and start a new colony.

Q: What are Nymphs? A: Nymphs are immature termites. This is for both drywood and subterranean termites.

Q: What are Mandibles? A: Mandibles are the jaws of a soldier termite. Mandibles are very large and are used for protection against other insects.

Q: What is a colony? A: A colony is a family group of insects originally descending from a single queen. All members of a colony live and cooperate together. Individual members perform different jobs that benifit the colony as a … Continue reading →

Q: What is Cellulose? A: Cellulose is the primary component of wood and wood byproducts. Termites use cellulose for food.

Q: What Are Castes? A: Castes are groups within a colony that all serve the same function. Examples of castes are worker, soldier, and reproductive.

Q: What are softwood trees? A: Softwood trees are trees that produce seeds not enclosed in a fruit or nut. Softwood trees usually have needles or scale-like leaves held year round.

Q: What is sapwood? A: Sapwood is the outer, light-colored wood on a tree stem that contains living cells and conducts water up the tree.

Q: What is heartwood? A: Heartwood is the inner portion of the woody stem which is composed of non-living cells. It is usually darker than the sapwood.

Q: What are Hardwood Trees? A: Hardwood trees are trees that produce seeds enclosed in a fruit or nut, and that usually lose their leaves in the fall. The term has nothing to do with the hardness of the wood.

Q: What is the definition of fiber saturation point? A: The fiber saturation point is the percent of moisture in wood when all of the free water has evaporated and only the bound water within the cell walls is present. … Continue reading →