The title says it all; what do termites look like? These little pests are certainly not a pretty sight. They are approximately one inch in length, have white translucent bodies, and have eight legs. They are known to cause considerable destruction when they want, and can become extremely difficult to deal with. While they do not usually make any sounds, they are not exactly quiet insects. It’s estimated that they cause economic damage of billions of dollars per year in the United States alone, and many billions more worldwide.
These termites have an array of characteristics, depending on species. Some species have straight antennae, some have bent antennae, some are wingless and some have two curved antennae. Some species have complete body covers while others have no body cover at all. Some species have wings and teeth, while some have none at all. And, of course, some species are reproductive insects and others are simply worker or swarm insects. As you can see, the possibilities with what do termites look like are endless.
Most, if not all, termite species are wingless. In some cases, they may have four or five winged bodies, with one long abdomen and one short one. However, their main attraction is the wings, which are both a good and a bad thing. When there are too many wings, they can cause disturbance for what do termites looking for a nice place to build a nest.
On the other hand, some kinds of wingless termite do fly away successfully from a colony. What do termites looking for a moist environment look like? Well, if you know the right type, you know what it looks like – wings sticking out to either side of an opening, often accompanied by fuzzy little legs, and the scent of food in the air. If you don’t know what your termite looks like, you may mistake it for a millipede or some other burrowing insect.
Of course, there’s another factor that you should think about when you think about what do termites look like, and that is structural damage. Ants will also suffer structural damage when they are attacked by other termites. This is called colony collapse disorder, and happens when a colony suffers too much structural damage, and cannot support itself any longer. The worker ants will take care of feeding the other colonies, but other species will seek out other sources of food. If you find a colony that is totally unable to support itself any longer, you might see what do termites look like in large, powdery white powder.
In addition to what do termites look like, another thing to think about is whether or not there are wings. Well, the reason that this matters is because there are actually two types of termite – the Formorean ants, and the Formosan ants. While the Formosan type does have wings, they usually fly above the ground, and are only noticed if you do a long-term study of them. On the other hand, the Formorean ants have wings that propel them through the air, and are noticeable because of the rows of yellowish dots that line their bodies. When you notice these yellow dots, you can be pretty certain that you are looking at Formosan ants, and not flying ants.
Now, we can talk about what do termites look like when they are outside of their colonies. These are typically found in the southern United States and in the parts of Mexico that border the Gulf of Mexico. While they are primarily a pest of buildings and homes, they can also be found in the forest and along roadways. Interestingly enough, we can find them on boats – which suggests that there may even be a connection between what do termites look like, and what they might be eating. It has been speculated that, because so many ants are found on boats, that termites might be using the hulls of the boats as a source of nourishment. This is one of the theories that scientists have about what do termites look like, but there is really no solid proof that it exists.
Lastly, what do termites look like when they are underground? There are two different types of subterranean termite species, which inhabit the United States. One is the Formosan subterranean colony, which is the most common of the two. The other is the Cretaceous subterranean colony. Although both of these termite species exist in the southern part of the United States, the Cretaceous species are typically found in the northern part of the state, as well as in much of the central part of the country.