The eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes
nests in the soil and feeds on wood buried in or near the
soil. This termite species prefers moist wood and is the
common termite of New York. Worker termites are small
white insects that avoid light and build mud tubes to reach
wood above ground. The mud tubes are made of soil and
saliva and are about the diameter of a pencil. Large termite
swarms occur in the spring when black, winged
reproductive males and females leave the nest to mate and
disperse. The size of the underground colony can reach millions of workers and several buildings can be attacked by a single large colony.
Workers are pale white, small, soft bodied insects less than ΒΌ inches in length. The soldiers are fewer in number, larger and with a large head and mandibles. Soldier termites are white with a dark yellow head.
The male and female reproductives are black with four pairs of equal size clear wings. The wings drop off immediately after mating and they may pile up near windows and other sources of light.
Termite damage to wood can be recognized because there are small fecal pellets of digested wood along with soil particles within the galleries. Galleries are typically located in wood close to or touching the ground or wood wet with excessive moisture from a leak or other water source.
Where are some of the places you should look if you believe you have termites?
On Long Island most termite infestations occur in the basement or cellar areas and in the structural
timbers immediately above the cellar walls, such as a mudsill, the studs, joists, subflooring, and the floors.
Wood such as posts, steps, door frames, and trim embedded in an earth or concrete floor is especially susceptible to termite infestation. Wood siding, window frames, steps, and similar materials covered by earth or resting on the ground may also be attacked by termites. Where the termite infestation is
extensive, the flooring and framework in the walls can be damaged by termites: this is often the case Page