Combat Bugs Pest Control and Extermination, Tempe, Phoenix

Termites

 • Termites are small, wood-eating insects that may be black, brown, tan or white. Out of 2,500 species found worldwide, Arizona is home to five varieties that are attracted to their climate conditions. These burrowing insects live in a structured colony, much like ants.Termite colonies consist of the king and queen, swarmers (reproductive) and soldiers with each having their own purpose to fulfill.

Arid-Land Subterranean

• Signs of termites at work on a tree tree with termite holes 

The most destructive and common termite in Arizona is the arid-land subterranean termite. This type of termite lives and breeds predominately underground as a colony.

Soldier termites are 1/4 inch in length and have almost straight jaws. Swarmers with wings are 1/3 inch long or 1/5 inch when they are not in the wing stage. Wings appear whitish in color with brown veins towards the front of each wing.

Nests are built near or in soil environments that are moist. Termites seeking the moisture they require to survive damage structural supports of wood, plasterboard or foundations.

Desert Dampwood
• Desert dampwood termites attack citrus groves found in Arizona. Young grapefruit and orange trees are girdled around the trunks below the soil line by dampwood termites. This type fulfills their need for moist environments by nesting in timber with close proximity to damp soil

Dark brown swarmers can be seen flying during the daytime and are attracted to lights at night as well. Including the wingspan, swarmers are about 1 inch in length. Solidiers have large multitoothed pincers and big reddish-brown heads. Searching for new nesting sights occurs in January through October.

Desert Subterranean
• Desert subterranean termites are found in Arizona living in dead cactuses and other types of desert plants. Unlike dampwood termites, these are not as dependent on rotting wood and moisture conditions.

Drop tubes found in plasterboard and ceiling rafters are a good indicator of desert subterranean termites. This variety attacks sound dry wood, which makes many types structures easy targets.

They enter brick walls and concrete flooring through the tiniest gap of 1/32 inch. Mature colonies can exceed 300,000 termites. Their foraging territory is almost that of 1 acre.

Pacific Dampwood
• Pacific dampwood termites swarm most actively in August through October, just before sunset during warm humid evenings. All types of wood are fair game for this variety. Soldiers have large heads with body colors of caramel, reddish-brown and black. The swarmers (reproductives) have dark brown wings and a light-medium brown torso with a total body length of 1 inch.

Western Drywood
• Out of the five most common species, the western drywood variety accounts for the most damage in Arizona. These do not require soil to build a colony; colonies are built in the wood that they eat.

Colonies average about 2,000 termites, which is a relatively small number of termites doing damage. The biggest concern about these types of termites is that often there is more than one colony all attacking the same structure, causing extreme damage.