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Learn more about the different type of Termites found throughout Malaysia. Call Innovative Pest Management to prevent, control and treat infestation before damages are beyond repair.
Most Common Termite Species
Subterranean Termites in Malaysia
The most common types of termites are the Asian subterranean termite, Eastern subterranean termite and Formosan subterranean termite. Unfortunately, these termites are more aggressive and destructive damaging building structures in Malaysia. They consume wood at a faster rate and live typically in larger colonies. A fully mature colony can consist of around 350,000 workers devouring approximately 31 grams of wood per day.
The Formosan termite, often refer to as "The Super-Termite," gaining fame because of its large colony size. With ability to cause severe termite damages to wooden structures and building properties. They consume a significant amount within a short time and produces large number of swarmers within their colony.
Simply replacing the wooden fittings and furniture will not solve the termite problems. It can become a never ending nightmare without the help of the best termite control company Malaysia. These termites are notorious for causing millions of dollars in structural damage to properties. To prevent and maintain a safe living and termite proof property.
Advisable to engage professional skill termite pest control services for routine inspections. Innovative Pest Management provides various method of approach to effectively eradicate the problem without recurrence. We will ensure that the integrity of your property is safe from any termite species infestation.
URGENT RESPONSE
The Lifecycle, Dietary & Habitat
Characteristics of Subterranean Termites
Lifecycle
The subterranean termite life cycle consist of kings and queens responsible for one task only: reproduction. They are care for by other and termite queens can live for more than 20 years. A mature termite queen mates and laying eggs in thousands each year. Worker termites diligently manage the eggs, and after two weeks, the nymphs hatch.
The newly hatched nymphs nourish themselves by feeding on regurgitated food for two weeks, enabling them to molt. This molting process helps determine whether they become workers, soldiers, queens, or reproducing termites within the colony. Workers, despite having no eyes, tirelessly supply food for the colony by collecting cellulose from wood within building structures.
Soldiers defend the colony with their armour heads and large mandibles. They use a clicking sound to alert the rest of the colony of impending danger. Threats can come from ants, other insects, or damage to their mud trails. Swarmers or termite alates fly and flutter around under lights, seeking to establish new colonies.
With two types of secondary reproductives in formosan subterranean termite colonies, the “secondary,” and “tertiary reproductives.” The secondary reproductives winged termites only exist in a more mature colony. They gradually descend, shedding their wings, easily visible and should not be ignore. Male swarmers mate with suitable queens and build nests in wood, which are in close contact with the soil to establish new colonies.
Habitat
Both drywood termites and dampwood termites have similar habitat preferences to the types of wood they feed on. Subterranean termites, however, are the type that attacks building timber, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Subterranean termites in the United States have built the largest termite mound or termite hill, measuring 26 feet tall.
They construct tunnels, mud trails or mud tubes to reach wood even in difficult conditions and impenetrable materials. These tunnels are a combination of soil, wood particles, and termite saliva with circular cross section. They are small organise more solidly built and lighter in colour, assessing back and forth their food source.
Dietary
Their main dietary preference is cellulose, which is why they search for wood, carton boxes, and paper. These termites burrow deep into wooden piles, beams, rafters, walls, and flooring. Their damage, resembling honeycomb patterns, often goes unnoticed until it is too late and critical collapse is imminent.
Pest control termite inspections often look for subterranean termite frass, which are droppings that indicate termite infestation. These droppings, resembling coarse sawdust piles, are push out of kick-out holes or drop tubes attached to the mud tubes.
Understanding The Termite Caste
The Subterranean Termite Colony System
Within a subterranean termite colony, there are three distinct groups, each with its own unique characteristics and coloration. The workers, typically a cream or milky shade, are responsible for supplying the colony with sustenance. In contrast, the soldiers have a brown head but share the same body colour as the workers. Lastly, the reproductive members, known as the king and queen, have a darker hue compared to the rest of the colony.
The primary duty of the worker termites is to provide nourishment for the entire colony. The soldiers, king, and queen, on the other hand, are incapable of feeding themselves. Because to their size, the queen is largely immobile and depends entirely on the workers for sustenance.
Soldier termites are task with defending the termite nest against potential intruders like ants or termites from rival colonies. Equipped with formidable mandibles, they possess the ability to fend off any threats to the colony. Additionally, soldiers are capable of releasing a white toxic fluid while defending their territory.
The queen termite, responsible for the growth of the colony, can produce up to 20,000 eggs per day. Typically with one pair of primary reproductives, the king and queen with primary role of expanding the colony. Reproductives, refer to as swarmers, will develop wings and depart from the colony through swarm tubes. And after approximately 3 to 5 years to establish new colonies.
King
Kings measure approximately 2-4mm in length, have darker brown oval-shaped heads. They are a powerful species found deep within termite nests. They are responsible for mating with the queen and maintaining the population of the termite colony.
Queen
Queens measure 15mm in length, have dark brown heads, and long bodies with enlarged whitish abdomens. They have a long lifespan of 25 to 50 years, making them the oldest termites in the colony. When a termite queen dies and pheromone production ceases, a new queen replaces her within the colony.
Workers
Measuring about 3mm in length, worker termites are blind, wingless, and have soft, creamy white to light greyish bodies with round heads. They forage for food and water, construct and repair sheltering tubes, groom and feed other termites. These native subterranean termite care for eggs and young, and participate in colony defence.
Soldiers
They have round heads with narrow or tapering sides, frontal gland pores with short tubes. It extend toward the front of the head, and large mandibles with orange to brownish teeth. Their pronotum is flat, and their creamy-white bodies are narrower than their heads.
Alates (Swarmers)
Measuring 14-15mm in length, including wings, with a body ranging from pale yellow to brownish yellow. They have distinct frontal gland pores, opening toward the front of their wings. Their front wings have two heavily hardened dark veins in the front portion.
Contact Professional Help for Subterranean Termite Control Services
Signs of Subterranean Termite Infestation In Malaysia
Crucial not to underestimate or ignore the signs of a subterranean termite infestation. As the resulting damages can be financially devastating. Neglecting these signs may even compromise the structural integrity of buildings. Advisable to engage the services of a professional pest control company for regular property inspections.
Mud trails are commonly construct to maintain moisture during the termites movement between the colony and their food source. These tunnels extend from the foundation of a house to wooden surfaces. Detecting these signs requires a meticulous approach, as they are often inconspicuous and difficult to trace. Swarmers lose their wings when they come out and can be observe in groups flying around street lamps.
Once a male and female pair up, they shed their wings and search for a new place to establish a colony. Termite colonies communicate through faint clicking sounds, serving as an alarm for potential dangers. If you hear these sounds emanating from doors or wooden materials, it is advice not to spray insecticides. Such action may agitate the termites, prompting them to find alternate routes and potentially cause further damage.
Termites excel at concealment, often consuming wood from within, leaving a thin veneer on the surface. Blistering pieces of wood are a possible indication of their presence and should prompt further investigation.
Trail
They leave behind pheromone trails that enable others to locate and follow them to food sources and back to their nest. You may notice a significant number of them diligently working together to transport food to their nest.
Presence
Not only in the United States North America, flying swarmers in Malaysia do happens. When queens from mature colony are on a mission to establish new colonies. During migration, you can find wings and you need to inspect them to exclude the possibility of flying termites. You will notice a significant increase of activities, they will roam around and impossible to leave any food unattended.
Nest
Indoors, they tend to hide in cracks and crevices within walls. Outdoors, they often create nests in small piles of soil or damaged wood, such as the nests of red imported fire ants.
Bites
While not all of them bite, there are some species that can cause allergic reactions when they do. The painful sting of fire ants is one of the most common bites experienced when attacked in groups. Argentine ants are aggressive and territorial, one of the most problematic species worldwide.
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