Termite Web

Prorhinotermes is a genus of mostly tropical, subterranean termites. The greatest diversity exists in coastal areas of South East Asia, often in mangrove swamps. Prorhinotermes flavus is one of the few species of termites that can survive in waterlogged mangrove swamps, albeit nesting in damp, rotting wood and is confined to drier, deeper soil in [...]

Amitermes is an interesting genus of termite, with many species distributed worldwide. The most well known are the mound building species from Australia, Amitermes meridionalis, the so-called Magnetic Termites. Amitermes species occur worldwide, and build a variety of nests ranging from subterranean to surface mounds, to aerial nests.

These photos were sent by a reader, Angela, from Nashville, Tennessee. While poking around in the garden, the reader came across some white colored insects and wondered if they might be termites. She dropped me an email to ask my opinion. With her kind permission, I’d like to share some of the photos here.

Longipeditermes longipes is a single species forest dwelling nasute genus that is dark in color, and is often seen openly foraging for food on the floor of the tropical forests of Malaysia and Borneo. There is no other species in this genus; it is a monotypic genus. Their foraging columns may stretch for nearly 100 [...]

Microtermes is a genus of Macrotermitinae that is so named because it is the opposite of Macrotermes, being pretty small in size, but still recognizably one of the Macrotermitinae, as can be inferred from the appearance of the workers. This particular species is likely to be Macrotermes pakistanicus, a wide ranging Microtermes species found in [...]

The Odontotermes genus is one of the Macrotermitinae and there are many species of Odontotermes, which are either subterranean or mound building. The Odontotermes range from Africa to Asia. They are so named from a small characteristic “tooth” which appears as a crenulation on the soldier’s left mandible. In some species, this “tooth” is rather [...]

Coptotermes curvignathus (Holmgren) from the genus Coptotermes is a destructive termite species of tree plantations in South East Asia and attacks live trees. It is similar to other Coptotermes species like Coptotermes travians and Coptotermes gestroi with the main differences in its being larger, and having strong incurved mandibles, and also a distinctive habit of [...]

Coptotermes gestroi or the Asian Subterranean Termite is one of the most destructive termites in Asia (along with the Formosan Subterranean Termite), responsible for much of the termite damage statistics reported. Small and hardy, Coptotermes gestroi has been reported in new countries outside of its native range, including Australia and parts of USA, indicating an [...]

Globitermes sulphureus (subfamily Termitinae) is a species of termite that is common in agricultural areas and largely feeds on decaying natural, wood. It does not attack live trees but has been documented as occasionally attacking the wooden sections of man made buildings. For the most part, Globitermes sulphureus is confined to forests below 200 meters [...]

Macrotermes carbonarius is the only open foraging Macrotermes species and also the only black species, that I know of. It is found in South East Asia and parts of Indochina, but its range is patchy and it is only locally abundant. This means where it occurs, it is common, but where it is not found, [...]