Florida darkwinged subterranean termite facts for kids

The Amitermes floridensis, often called the Florida darkwinged subterranean termite, is a special kind of social insect. It belongs to the termite family. These termites live in big groups and work together. They build networks of tunnels underground to find rotting wood, which is their main food. This termite species is only found in west central Florida. Scientists first described it in 1989.

Discovering the Florida Termite

In the late 1900s, scientists were studying termites in Florida. They saw some winged termites that looked different. These termites had dark wings and belonged to a family with about 1600 species. But none of these had ever been seen in the eastern United States before.

In 1988, many of these dark-winged termites were seen flying in swarms near where they were first spotted. Scientists then found the worker termites of this species. In 1989, Florida entomologists Scheffrahn, Su, and Mangold officially described the new species. They named it Amitermes floridensis because it seemed to live only in Florida.

What Do Florida Darkwinged Termites Look Like?

Termites in a colony come in different forms, each with a special job.

Worker Termites

Worker termites are about 3.5 millimeters (0.14 inches) long. They look a bit plump because their middle body part is narrow and their back part is wide. Their head is clear, and their body is see-through. This means you can sometimes see their insides, making them look grayish.

Soldier Termites

Soldier termites are about the same size as workers. But their heads are bigger and darker. They have strong, black, curved jaws. Each jaw has a special tooth on the inside. These jaws help them defend the colony.

Young Termites (Nymphs)

In the spring, young termites called nymphs grow in older colonies. They are bigger than workers and have wider middle body parts. They also have small wing pads, which are like tiny beginnings of wings.

Winged Termites (Alates)

Nymphs grow into alates, which are winged male and female termites. These are dark brown. Their bodies are about 4 millimeters (0.16 inches) long. With their wings, they are about 9 millimeters (0.35 inches) long. Their wings are thin and have dark lines along the front edge. The queen and king termites live deep underground, but scientists haven't seen them for this specific species yet.

Where Do These Termites Live?

The Florida darkwinged subterranean termite has only been found in west central Florida. They are often seen around St. Petersburg. Their home range stretches from Tarpon Springs in the north to Sebring in the east and Punta Gorda in the south. They live in colonies deep underground. From there, they dig many tunnels to find food. When these tunnels reach the surface to get food, the parts above ground are usually very short.

Life in the Colony and What They Eat

The termite colony has rooms and many tunnels underground. Their main food is rotting wood. Unlike some other termites, this species does not dig tunnels inside the wood. Instead, they build tubes along the surface of the wood. They eat the wood from the outside. These tubes are made with their waste and are black. They attack things like fallen logs, fence posts, tree trunks, sheds, and even porches.

Reproduction and Swarming

Winged termites, called reproductives, leave the nest to find mates. They come out through special, short "swarm tubes" that stand freely above the ground. This happens during the day between July and September. Swarms often appear right after it rains, or even while it's still raining. There can be so many termites that they look like columns of smoke coming out of the ground!

These winged termites are not very strong fliers. Many get stuck to wet leaves, buildings, or cars. The ones that make it back to the ground form pairs. The female then looks for a good spot to start a new colony. This might be under a log, a stone, or some other debris. It can take several years for a new colony to grow big enough to produce its own winged termites.