Formosan termites are indigenous to wooded areas as well as cities. Typically, this type of termite makes its home under the ground where it’s quite damp. Formosan termites utilize saliva for building their homes, along with building materials consisting of natural items like soil, feces and plant matter. If temperature and humidity conditions are suitable for them to survive and reproduce, they may also live on the surface.

In addition, Formosan termites often inhabit lumber piles and plant materials during shipment. Consuming these materials, their population quickly grows until the ship ultimately is completely infested.

Because Formosan termites are responsible for devastating damage to buildings of all types, the United States regards them as dangerous pests. A small fortune is spent annually in an effort to prevent and treat termite infestation and to fix the damage they produce. Furthermore, Formosan termites are able to form more massive colonies within a brief period.

Formosan termites have an insatiable appetite for anything that contains cellulose. Wood, paper and cardboard contain this cellulose. The cellulose is broken down by one-celled microorganisms and bacteria that live in their digestive systems. Some types of termites even apparently consume copper sheeting, plastic, concrete and foam materials.

The king and queen are constantly mating thereby preserving the Formosan termites’ species. Within just a matter of days of reproduction, the eggs are laid. The king and queen are part of group referred to as the reproductives. In addition to this group, a termite nest is populated with soldier and worker insects. These different types perform unique duties and roles in the colony.

The reproductives are classified as primary or secondary types. These are the termites that have the duty of keeping the colony populated by reproducing. In contrast, soldier termites are responsible for protecting the nest from predators like ants. A sticky fluid is secreted by these termites as a defense mechanism that serves to immobilize their enemies. Last of all, the worker termites serve to construct the nest and gather food to feed the whole swarm. In addition, worker termites tend the eggs as well as feed the newborn larvae.

Reproductives eventually grow into alates or swarming termites. The alates develop winged structures, allowing them to travel to form new colonies elsewhere. Once they swarm, the wings fall off of both female and male alates, and they reproduce. If they succeed in establishing a new colony, then they will be considered the king and queen of the new colony. The time-frame for their cycle of reproduction is about 5 years. New colonies that branch off of the original nest need enough food in order to live. This results in greater destruction of property and increased expenses to eliminate them.

In order to develop effective methods of dealing with these pests that wreak significant devastation, it is necessary to have an understanding of the feeding, social and reproductive behavior of these termites.