Light western drywood termite facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Light western drywood termite |
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|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Marginitermes
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| Species: |
hubbardi
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Marginitermes hubbardi, also known as the light western drywood termite, is a small insect. It belongs to the termite family called Kalotermitidae. You can find these termites in Central America and the dry, desert areas of southwestern North America.
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What Does the Light Western Drywood Termite Look Like?
This termite gets its name, the light western drywood termite, because of its color. The adult termites with wings are much lighter than another type, the dark western drywood termite. These winged adults are called alates. They are the only ones you might see out in the open.
The alates are about 0.5 in (13 mm) (13 mm) long. They have a yellowish body and pale, light-colored wings. The termite soldiers, who protect the colony, look different. You can spot them by their antennae. The third part of their antennae is long and shaped like a club.
Where Do Light Western Drywood Termites Live?
These termites are originally from Central America, Mexico, California, and parts of Arizona. They usually live in places below 4,000 m (13,000 ft) (13,123 feet). In Arizona, you'll find a different termite species in higher areas.
The light western drywood termite likes very dry places. It can handle extreme dryness better than other termites. In nature, they live in trees like cottonwoods. You can find these trees in canyons and near rivers. They also make their homes in dead saguaro cacti. As cities grow, these termites are moving into human buildings. Homes made with wood frames are especially at risk.
How Do Light Western Drywood Termites Live?
Marginitermes hubbardi is a drywood termite. This means they don't need soil or damp wood to start a colony. After a special flight called the nuptial flight, a male and female termite find a new home. They start their colony directly inside dry, healthy wood.
Starting a New Colony
Individual termites look for a good spot to nest. This is usually a small hole or crack in dry wood. The winged adult sheds its wings before or after entering the hole. Termites have special glands on their bodies. These glands might release a scent to attract another termite. This way, a second termite can join the first one in the hole.
Once they are inside, they plug the entrance hole. They use their waste to make a plug. This plug is a sign that a new colony has begun. The male and female then mate. The female lays a small group of eggs. These eggs hatch into young termites called nymphs.
Life in the Colony
As the colony grows, the nymphs dig tunnels and rooms. They get all the water they need from the wood they eat. They also make tiny holes to the outside. Through these holes, they push out their waste pellets.
In the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, it is very dry. This dryness makes it hard for wood-rotting fungi to grow. Without these fungi, dead wood would stay around for a very long time. But termites are important to the desert. They chew through dead wood and plants. This helps break down the material. It also creates space for other living things to grow. M. hubbardi mostly eats dead saguaro cacti. Another drywood termite, Pterotermes occidentis, does the same for blue palo verde trees.
