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Home & Garden Articles
Formosan Termites, What You Did Not Know About Them
Tue 22 May 2007 - 10:54
Formosan Termites, What You Did Not Know About Them
By Dave Faulkner
Where would look for Formosan termite? You will look in the forests and in your own home. Even if you have a new home, you are still a target for termite infestation. They live underground and find the easiest way into your home through the basement or other foundation openings. They make their nest from plant matter, soil, feces and saliva along with the chewed wood you may supply. They will in some cases build above ground if the climate conditions are right. They thrive in high moisture level areas and this accounts for the underground nests that they prefer.
You might bring home the annoying pest in mulch, timbers and in some plants. Boats become infested when the shipments are infested with the termite and they keep traveling with product they are arriving in. This accounts for the spread of this termite to other areas far away from the original starting entry point.
Because they are the most devastating of the species in the United States, people have spent literally millions of dollars to exterminate the termite as well as the money spent on repairs after they do their damage. Because of the colony size, they do more damage then other termites with smaller colonies.
Cellulose, which is found in cardboard, paper and wood is what, attracts the termite and they feed as long as the source remains there for their feeding. Some people have noted seeing termites on foam, asphalt, plastic and copper sheeting.
Formosan termites have the reproductive and the secondary reproductive, soldiers and workers. The workers do all the work while the soldiers protect the nest. The main reproductive breed daily and if they die, the secondary takes over the breeding process. Eggs are laid daily and can be up to thousands a day.
The soldiers while protecting the nest will secrete glue like substance that they spit at their enemy. Soldiers are aggressive in their defense of the nest and the inhabitants. The majority of the termite population is the workers; they build the nest and bring the food home. Workers also care for the eggs as the reproductive only laid the eggs and then recruit the workers to care for them.
Although it takes up to five years for a colony to become populated, the reproductive move on to make new colonies and the cycle keeps going. You will never kill all the termites in the world as they out number us by ten to one. As the termites continue to populate, some day we will need to find a way to control them before they eat us out of house and home, literally.
You can also find more information at Termite Photos and Termite Habits. Termiteshelp.com is a comprehensive resource to know more about termites.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Faulkner
http://EzineArticles.com/?Formosan-Termites,-What-You-Did-Not-Know-About-Them&id=572928
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