Termites

Termite colonies consist of 3 basic castes: workers, soldiers and reproductives.

Subterranean termites are ground-inhabiting, social insects that live in colonies. A colony of subterranean termites may be up to 18-20 feet below the soil surface to protect it from extreme weather conditions.

A mature termite colony has three castes:

• Reproductive (king and queen)
• Soldiers
• Workers

Termites are a social insect living in a colony that comes with 3 different departments; a queen, workers and soldiers. They build mud tunnels to connect their nest to food sources. The tunnels are made of moistened soil to protect themselves from being exposed and getting dehydrated due to outside climate conditions.

	Workers After they undergo the larva stage, the full-grown workers are soft-bodied, wingless, blind and creamy white. They are about 1/8 inch long and have no wings. They perform all the labour in the colony such as obtaining food, feeding other caste members, nursing for the larvae, excavating wood, and constructing tunnels. Workers mature within a year and live from three to five years. Although worker termites are soft-bodied insects, their hard, saw-toothed jaws work like shears and are able to bite off extremely small fragments of wood, a piece at a time. Termites often infest buildings and damage lumber, wood panels, flooring, sheetrock, wallpaper, plastics, paper products and fabric made of plant fibres.
	Soldiers Synonymous with their name, a soldier’s task is just to defend the colony from their enemies such as ants, rare roaches and other animals. In most species, the soldiers are equipped with hard and large mandibles. Some species have latex liquid which they will spray when under attack. Soldiers depend on the workers to feed and groom them. In some species, the ratio of soldier and worker is 2:8.
	Alates/Swarmers The Malay community calls them ‘kelkatu’. Normally, they actively fly out after rainy days. Why at that time? Most probably because at that time the wind condition is quite stagnant and the temperature is cozy. They are attracted to light and at that point of time they will find their mates. Once they have found their mates, they will drop their wings and find suitable a place to start their colony. This is the beginning of a new termite colony.

Termites feed on dead plant cells, wood, leaf litter, roots, dead herbs and grasses, dung and humus. Chemically, their food can be characterized as lignocellulosic matter, which is the most abundant organic material in the biosphere. Termites are able to digest cellulose, and some species can also digest lignin, with the assistance of symbiotic intestinal protozoa and bacteria. Many termites also have symbiotic relations with nitrogen-fixing bacteria. In converting lignocellulosic biomass to insect biomass, termite production supports a large proportion of tropical vertebrate biodiversity, including many species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and ground foraging insectivorous mammals.

Termites cause great losses to man. They are known as pests of wood in houses. Not just that, they are also pests in the agriculture sector.
In urban areas, termites damage wooden structures such as door frames, kitchen cabinets, parquet flooring and even roof trusses.

In Malaysia, Coptotermes spp are the most common species that cause extensive damage to buildings. A single colony of Coptotermes can search for food over an area covering a distance of about 100 metres. They can also affect top levels of multi-storey buildings. Genus of Coptotermes are also known to be the most destructive termites in the Malaysian agriculture sector.

Termites gain entry into buildings through cracks in the foundations and wall floor interface. Beside that, electrical conduits, along water pipes in the walls and telephone lines are the best and strategic areas for them to penetrate into premises.

Once termites have gained entry into buildings, the infestation goes unnoticed for months as they conceal their presence with mud tubes or traverse behind wooden structures. The infestation normally goes unnoticed because the termites do not eat the external part, for example, if they infest parquet flooring, they will not feed on the shellac layer.

Termites, particularly the subterranean species, are arguably one of the worst nightmares of property owners, more so in a tropical country like Malaysia.
An inspection by pest management professionals is undoubtedly the best way to head off termite problems Even if these inspections are not done annually, you should make it a point to conduct your own inspections during routine maintenance chores. A good inspection includes looking not only for termites, but also for conditions conducive to their activity.

Here are some tips on how to minimise termite problems in and around your buildings:

1. Plan Before Planting
   Before you get down to buying your favourite shrubs or trees and planting them around your building, you need to think about how large these plants will eventually be in 10 to 15 years later.Do not plant shrubs or trees too close to the foundation of your building. Plants that are too close to your building may hide activities of termites and other pests as well. Tree or shrub limbs touching your building can damage siding and allow ants an entry point.
2. Protect Your Siding
   Siding should always be above the grade or soil line, preferably at least 15cm above it; otherwise, you could have decay problems as well as termite problems. Ensure that plants and flower beds do not touch the foundation.
3. Eliminate Wood-ground Connections
   A good building practice is to ensure that structural wood does not touch the ground. Make sure that wood products such as latticework, door and window frames end at least 12cm above ground level. This is to minimise termites from accessing the three things they need to thrive: food, moisture and shelter.
4. Use Termite-resistant Timbers
   Poor building designs may contribute to termite infestations. Identify and correct structural deficiencies that attract or promote such termite attacks. Termite-resistant wood and other building materials may aid in reducing damage.
5. Use Treated Timber & Resistant Siding Materials
   Although some species are considered as susceptible to termite attacks, they can be protected with the use of wood preservatives and some of the more suited species in Malaysia include Jelutong, Merbau, Ramin and Tualang.Treated wood can also be used in other parts of buildings such as in the framing. The type and concentration of the chemical treatment will dictate where the treated timber can or should be used. Although using treated wood more extensively in new buildings may increase construction costs, this is a preferred method for dealing with termites.

Apart from the above good practices, here are some additional termite-abatement tips:

• Remove all dead wood, stumps and tree roots from your building
• Repair all leaking faucets, especially outside faucets, water pipes, and air-conditioning units
• Grade the ground next to the foundation so the surface water drains away from your building
• Keep things screened and sealed. Install screens on attic and foundation vents to help prevent termites from entering through them. Also seal cracks and holes in window and door frames with wood putty.
• Inspect utility and service boxes attached to your building to ensure that they are sealed and do not provide shelter or a point of entry for termites

Subterranean termites are ground-inhabiting, social insects that live in colonies. A colony of subterranean termites may be up to 18-20 feet below the soil surface to protect it from extreme weather conditions.