Arid-Land Subterranean Termite

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Arthropoda
Subphylum	Hexapoda
Class	Insecta
Subclass	Pterygota
Order	Isoptera
Family	Heterotermitidae
Genus	Reticulitermes

Scientific Name

Reticulitermes tibialis

Common Name

arid land subterranean termite

Compiled by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University:

Reticulitermes tibialis Banks
Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae

Life History and Habits:

Arid-land subterranean termite damage.

The arid-land subterranean termite is a social insect that produces a permanent colony underground. Separate castes occur in the colony including workers, soldiers, reproductive females (queens), and reproductive males (kings).

Colonies are initiated by winged reproductives. These emerge during late winter or early spring during mating flights and the paired queen and king attempt to initiate a colony. Very few are successful in the effort to create a colony and most die out within a few weeks after the mating flights. However, if successful the queen produces eggs and pale, flightless worker termites are produced. The colony slowly increases in size over a period of years and ultimately may later produce reproductive stages that disperse.

The workers are the stage that forage for cellulose-containing products. They avoid light and are very sensitive to drying so they remain underground or within the food (wood, cattle manure, etc.). Workers can not reproduce but may survive for months outside the colony. (Note: Firewood is not a means of acquiring a termite infestation.)

As with other termite species, the arid-land subterranean termite feeds on cellulose materials, including wood. It is a common scavenger of brush, wood, and animal manures in natural areas of the state and may be found in dead parts of living trees. It can feed on wooden structures but is considerably less damaging than are other termites, such as the eastern subterranean termite.

Related Species:

The eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), has moved into eastern Colorado in recent decades and has become a serious pest of structures in parts of the state. The eastern subterranean termite has a higher moisture requirement than does the arid-land subterranean termite and its spread has likely been favored by irrigated landscapes.

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