Eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes
Most pest species of subterranean termites in North America belong to the endemic genus Reticulitermes Reticulitermes species are found in every state in the continental United States except Alaska but are most common in the warm and humid southeastern region The eastern subterranean termite Reticulitermes flavipes is the most widely distributed and is found in the entire eastern region of North America as far north as Ontario Canada and south to Key Largo Florida Termites feed upon old roots tree stumps fallen tree limbs and branches on the ground and similar materials They are beneficial when they aid in reduction of wood and similar cellulose products into compounds that can be used again by other living organisms In buildings they feed on cellulose materials such as structural wood wood fixtures paper books cotton and related products Subterranean termites are social insects that live in colonies within the ground and have specialized castes to perform specific colony functions There are three primary castes in the termite colony workers soldiers and the reproductives kings queens and secondaries
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Photo credit: © Scott Camazine / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: abdomen, arthropod, creature, damage, destructive, eastern, fauna, head, infestation, insect, invertebrate, jointed, legs, living, natural, nature, nuisance, organism, pest, reticulitermes, rotten, small, subterranean, termite, thorax, tiny, wood
