Eastern Subterranean Termites, No 2
Your Extension Experts
May 14, 2009
April 16, 2009
April 16, 2009
April 16, 2009
April 2, 2009
Eastern subterranean termites are some of the most damaging insect pests in the state, annually causing millions of dollars in property damage, despite the millions of dollars that are spent each year to control them. These social insects play a beneficial role in our forests and landscapes, but when they invade houses and commercial buildings, the situation is much different. An established termite colony can contain hundreds of thousands of termites. Most are workers, which are wingless, white, and sightless. The black, winged insect you see here is a swarmer, or reproductive termite (about 3/8 inches long including the wings). Swarmers emerge only once per year, usually in the spring, and they are never alone. Usually there will be several hundred to a few thousand swarmers, all emerging simultaneously. Their goal is to mate and attempt to begin a new colony. But it is not the swarmers you need to worry about—it is the established termite colony from which they emerged. Termite colonies do not produce swarmers until they have been established for several years. Finding eastern subterranean termite swarmers inside a building is a sure sign the building is infested with termites and needs to be professionally treated. Seeing swarmers emerging from a stump or log in the lawn is not necessarily cause for concern, but it can still serve as a reminder to check your termite coverage (“When was the last time we had this building treated for termites and is the contract still in force?”). Actually, this is a good question to ask yourself even if you do not see swarming termites this year. Eastern subterranean termites swarm primarily in the spring, but swarming can begin as early as January in coastal areas and continue into June in the northern portion of the state. Although termites only swarm one time per year, the hundreds of thousands of workers comprising a termite colony remain active year round, eating 24 hours a day 365 days a year.
Control: Termite control is not a do-it-yourself project! You need to hire a licensed commercial pest control company to make sure your house is protected from termites. See Extension Publication 2568, Protect Your House from Termites for information on termite biology, how to hire a pest control company, and how to avoid conditions that increase risks of termite attack. If you plan on building a house soon see Extension Publication 2765, What Homebuilders Need To Know About Termites.
Blake Layton, Extension Entomology Specialist, Mississippi State University Extension Service.
The information given here is for educational purposes only. Always read and follow current label directions. Specific commercial products are mentioned as examples only and reference to specific products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended to other products that may also be suitable and appropriately labeled.
Mashariki ya Termites (Ether Termites) ni moja ya wadudu wengi zaidi kuharibu katika Marekani, na kila mwaka kusababisha mamilioni ya dola katika uharibifu wa mali, licha ya mamilioni ya dola zinazotumiwa kila mwaka kudhibiti. Wadudu hawa wanaofanya kazi pamoja hufaidi misitu na mazingira yetu, lakini wanapovamia nyumba na majengo ya kibiashara, hali huwa tofauti sana. Koloni moja ya mchwa inaweza kuwa na mamia ya maelfu ya mchwa. Wengi wao ni wafanyakazi, ambao hawana mabawa, ni weupe, na hawaoni. Mnyama mwenye mabawa ya rangi nyeusi anayeonekana hapa ni mchwa anayeishi kwa wingi, au mchwa anayezaana (mrefu wa inchi 3 8 ikiwa ni pamoja na mabawa). Makundi hayo hutokea mara moja tu kwa mwaka, kwa kawaida wakati wa majira ya kuchipua, na hayakuwa peke yake kamwe. Kwa kawaida kutakuwa na mamia kadhaa hadi maelfu machache ya makundi, yote yakitokea wakati uleule. Lengo lao ni kuoa na kujaribu kuanzisha koloni mpya. Lakini si juu ya makundi ya viumbe unaohitaji kuwa na wasiwasi - ni juu ya makundi ya viumbe waliojengwa ambao walitoka. Makoloni ya mchwa hayazalishi makundi hadi yamekuwapo kwa miaka kadhaa. Kuona mchwa wa chini ya ardhi ndani ya jengo ni ishara ya hakika kwamba jengo hilo limejaa mchwa na linahitaji kutibiwa kwa kitaalamu. Kuona makundi ya wadudu wakitoka kwenye shina la mti au mti kwenye nyasi si jambo la kuogopesha, lakini bado linaweza kuwa kikumbusho cha kuangalia chanjo yako ya mchwa (Ni lini mara ya mwisho tulipokuwa na jengo hili kutibiwa kwa mchwa na mkataba bado unatumika? Kwa kweli, swali hili ni zuri kujiuliza hata kama huoni mchwa akifurika mwaka huu. Nyigu wa mashariki huanza kuenea hasa wakati wa majira ya kuchipua, lakini huanza mapema Januari katika maeneo ya pwani na kuendelea hadi Juni katika sehemu ya kaskazini ya jimbo hilo. Ingawa mchwa huja mara moja tu kwa mwaka, mamia ya maelfu ya wafanyakazi katika makundi hayo ya mchwa huendelea kufanya kazi mwaka mzima, wakila saa 24 kila siku, siku 365 za mwaka. Kudhibiti: Kudhibiti mchwa si mradi wa kufanya-wewe mwenyewe! Unahitaji kuajiri kampuni ya kudhibiti wadudu ili kuhakikisha nyumba yako inalindwa na mchwa. Tazama chapisho la 2568 la Extension, Linda Nyumba Yako Kutoka kwa Mimea, kwa habari kuhusu biolojia ya mchwa, jinsi ya kuajiri kampuni ya kudhibiti wadudu, na jinsi ya kuepuka hali zinazoongeza hatari ya mashambulizi ya mchwa. Ikiwa una mpango wa kujenga nyumba hivi karibuni, angalia chapisho la Extension 2765: What Home Builders Need to Know About Termites. Blake Layton, Mtaalamu wa Entomolojia ya Upanuzi, Huduma ya Upanuzi ya Chuo Kikuu cha Jimbo la Mississippi. Habari inayotolewa hapa ni kwa madhumuni ya kielimu tu. Sikuzote soma na ufuate maagizo ya sasa ya lebo. Bidhaa maalum za kibiashara zimetajwa kama mifano tu na marejeo kwa bidhaa maalum au majina ya kibiashara yanafanywa kwa uelewa kwamba hakuna ubaguzi unaokusudiwa kwa bidhaa nyingine ambazo zinaweza pia kuwa sahihi na zilizowekwa alama sahihi.