The Formosa Termite -
Super Giants of the Termite World
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Updated
July 10, 2005
by Sheila Van Dusen
When it comes to the protection of our home and barns, technology has helped to protect them by offering us pressure treated wood and concrete to build with. With the spread of these little “big” guys all over the globe in climates that are warm and have high humidity, we would quite literally be eaten out of house and home. One thing is certain that before any construction of these structures, treat the soil against future termite infestations.
The Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, is one of the most destructive termite species in the world today. It now causes tremendous damage to property in the United States. It is sometimes referred to as the "Super Termite" because:
- It has large colonies.
- The territory of a single colony can be up to 300 feet.
- It infests a wide variety of structures (including boats and high-rise condominiums).
- It eats wood at a rapid rate.
A University of Florida professor recently has found the Formosan termite for the first time in northeast Florida. It has also been found in other metropolitan areas farther south in Florida since the 1970's. It has been found in 11 other states, including Hawaii. Hardest hit has been New Orleans.
 The Formosan subterranean termite has been transported worldwide from its native range in southern China to Formosa (Taiwan, where it gets its name) and Japan. Within the last 100 years it has become established in South Africa, Hawaii and the continental United States. Currently, Formosan termites are found in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, while an isolated population was found near San Diego, CA in 1992.
In Florida, they have been found in Crystal River, Dania, Ft. Lauderdale, Hallandale, Hollywood, Jensen Beach, Jupiter, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens, Tampa, Tallahassee, Panama City, Pensacola, and several other western panhandle communities.
Like many other termites, the Formosan termite feeds on wood and other materials that contain cellulose, such as paper and cardboard. Cellulose is the main structural component of plants. Young colonies of the Formosan subterranean termites can be easily spread in potted plants, landscape timbers, or infested trees. In Louisiana and Georgia, their spread was aided by homeowners who, accidentally; brought termites to their homes by buying infested railroad ties in garden shops. They can swarm from infested boats into new locations as the boats travel from place to place.
Unlike native subterranean termites, Formosan termites build nests. These are made of carton, a hard material the workers make from soil, chewed wood or plant matter, and their own saliva and feces. Carton nests are quite impressive - a large, rock-like mass constructed by hundreds of thousands or millions of termites.
They also can:
- Jump from a tree to a roof, especially a flat roof that invites puddles of water, to make supper out of the wooden attic beams or other cellulose roofing materials.
- They eat a wood plank from the inside out so that surface spraying does not help but they are somewhat deterred by treated preserved wood.
- They send kamikaze-like troops of workers to bore through the treated wood if they know there is a tastier treat beyond that point, such as picture frames or kitchen cabinets.
- They produce colonies of up to 10 million as compared to the standard subterranean termite only about 1 million. It is very difficult to get all of them.
- Eats about 1,000 lbs. per year of wood, whereas native termites eat about 7 lbs. per year.
Although nesting mostly below ground, some Formosan termite colonies will build above-ground nests that are not connected to the soil. Nests can be made in structures where the temperature does not get too hot or cold and there is plenty of moisture. Sources of moisture include:
- plumbing, water heater, and roof leaks
- condensation from air conditioning units
- poor drainage from gutters and flat roofs
- seepage and rainfall on boats and ships
- porches, balconies, rooftops, etc. with plants or landscaping that are frequently watered
Subterranean termites crawling above ground build mud shelter tubes because they do not like being exposed in the open to light and air. The tubes keep the termites from drying out and shield them from predators and natural enemies. Shelter tubes are often found on walls coming up from the ground or floor. They may also be found sticking out or dropping down to the ground in crawl spaces, under porches or stairways, etc. Tubes and carton may be in places where they are difficult to see such as stucco or plaster cracks, tree holes, tree crotches, etc. You can break the tubes open to check for termites.
Be aware of the conditions that likely will increase the possibility of a Formosan termite infestation:
- soil above the slab
- stacks of firewood leaning against the house
- wooden landscaping ties that bring the bugs perilously close to the dwelling
Formosan subterranean termites swarm during the evening from April through July. Keep in mind that swarmers outside around your home could be emerging and flying in from somewhere else. Check carefully around the premises to see if they are coming from your property.
If you are not sure if the termites you have are Formosan, you can send or bring soldiers and alates (young, winged) to your County Extension office for identification or contact Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida @ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/.
References: B. J. Cabrera, N.-Y. Su, R. H. Scheffrahn, F. M. Oi, and P. G. Koehler
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