Eastern Subterranean Termite
Reticulitermes flavipes
The mature eastern subterranean termite spends most of its life below ground or inside wood, moving through moist soil tunnels and mud tubes. It feeds on cellulose from dead wood, roots, leaf litter, and human timber, acting as both a decomposer and a serious structural pest. Individuals avoid open air because their small bodies dry out quickly, so covered passageways are essential to survival. Soldiers defend tight galleries with mandibles and defensive secretions, while winged reproductives appear seasonally to found new colonies.
- Type
- Burrow
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
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- Eastern Subterranean Termite
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