Termites are valuable decomposers in the natural world. A small protozoan lives inside their gut, allowing them to digest cellulose, the main ingredient in wood. Such a diet helps return nutrients from dead and decaying wood back into the ecosystem. This also means they can threaten the integrity of wood studs in a structure by chewing away at the beams. Signs of infestation indoors could include tunnel-like grooves in wood trim, growth of small mud tubes or mud patches spreading over walls, or the presence of winged adults called alates. A professional exterminator can help with detection and elimination of Termites, and can also install outdoor bait traps around the perimeter of a house or building to head off potential infiltration.
There are a few families of Termites, and they mostly differ in where the species live. Subterranean Termites reside in soil and venture out of the colony to wood sources for feeding. Drywood Termites build colonies completely contained inside wood, such as in living trees or wooden structures. Dampwood Termites can be found nesting in fence posts or in light and power poles. Some species of Higher Termites build colonies in tall mounds, domes, or spires of soil. All types of Termites are social insects, and thousands can be found living in a single colony.
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Descriptors: big head; pincers; long body; pale; white; wood; mud; pest; damage; flying; brown string hanging from ceiling; stalagmite; stalactite; brown tunnel on wall
Termites Video(s)
A freshly unearthed colony of Subterranean Termites assess the situation.
* MAP NOTES: The territorial heat map above showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Termites may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data is useful when attempting to see concentrations of particular species across the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some insects are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America. States/Territories shown above are a general indicator of areas inhabited by the Termites. Insects generally go where they please, typically driven by diet, environmental changes, and / or mating habits.
Colors: orange; white; black; brown 
