Zootermopsis laticeps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zootermopsis laticeps |
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Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Family: | Archotermopsidae |
| Genus: | Zootermopsis |
| Species: |
Z. laticeps
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| Binomial name | |
| Zootermopsis laticeps (Banks, 1906)
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The Zootermopsis laticeps, often called the Arizona dampwood termite, is a type of termite found in the southwestern parts of North America. People also know it as the wide-headed rottenwood termite or the southwestern rottenwood termite. These termites are part of the Archotermopsidae family.
It can be tricky to tell different Zootermopsis species apart. Scientists sometimes look at special chemicals on their skin, but this method has limits. A newer way uses near-infrared spectroscopy, which is a fancy way of using light to identify them. This method can tell species apart with over 99% accuracy!
Where Do Arizona Dampwood Termites Live?
Zootermopsis laticeps lives in North America, from Arizona and New Mexico down into northern Mexico. These termites make their homes inside rotting wood. They prefer standing trees that are near water, like along rivers. The moisture in these trees is very important for them to survive. You won't usually find them in fallen logs or old tree stumps. They often live in trees like Populus (poplar), Salix (willow), and Platanus (sycamore).
Life Cycle of a Termite Colony
A new termite colony usually starts with a male and female termite that can fly. After they fly together in what's called a nuptial flight, they drop their wings. Then, they find a good spot in a dead part of a tree, often using a hole made by a beetle. They create a small room under the bark.
The first egg they lay hatches into a small soldier termite. You can spot soldiers by their dark heads and strong, slashing jaws. Their job is to protect the colony from other termites and from ants that might try to attack.
The next eggs become workers. These workers are busy expanding the colony by chewing through the wood around them. They keep making tunnels and rooms. When all the dead wood in that tree is eaten, the colony will eventually die out.
As the colony grows, some workers change and grow into full-sized soldiers. Other workers might start to grow small wing buds. These workers will eventually become primary reproductives, meaning they can fly and start new colonies themselves. This usually happens more often when the colony is running out of food.
Another group of workers can turn into golden-colored, wingless secondary reproductives. This often happens if the original king and queen (primary reproductives) die. Sometimes, two nearby colonies might even join together, especially if they fight and one loses its main reproductives. When colonies merge, they can have many secondary reproductives.
What Do Arizona Dampwood Termites Eat?
These termites mainly eat rotten wood. They have tiny helpers inside their guts: special symbiotic bacteria and protozoa. These tiny organisms help the termites break down and digest the cellulose in the wood. Termites will also eat injured members of their own colony. If they get the chance, they might even eat termites from other colonies!
