Posted March 22, 2021 at 10:22 am ET
SHUT DOWN
Underground termites are currently swarming in search of a new home. This group evaluates the available food and water in a potential location. To confuse matters, flying ants are now also looking for new hometowns. (Photo: The Harrisons)
There are many positive aspects to being social. It is not an acceptable state of existence for the highly social beings to be alone.
There is always at least one other person present to interact with. There is work, play, food and many other activities to share.
Social does not mean always living together in a friendly way. In some cases, this collective existence can spark terror in the heart of other social beings such as homeowners.
While the social aspects of life are enjoyable for most people in Leon County, there are other creatures who engage in this cooperative activity to the detriment of the population.
Both native and exotic social insects work together to improve their respective interests. Their social activity ensures the group’s continuation, and many, if not all, members instinctively engage in some aspect of the collective effort to achieve this end.
Three types of termites in Florida
Leon County’s social insects include ants, bees, wasps, and termites. Each species has a miniature society in which individuals have specific functions within the colony.
Termites, which may have some of the most notorious reputations for destruction, are colonizing uncharted territory this time of year.
The three main species of termites in Florida are subterranean species that nest in the ground, wet wood, which attacks wet wood; and dry wood termites that attack dry wood.
Subterranean termites live in colonies that can consist of millions of individuals. These colonies are mostly made up of workers, but also soldiers and reproductive adults, where they share resources and cooperatively care for their young.
Workers are immature cream-colored men and women without wings and are approximately 1/8 of an inch long. As the name suggests, most of the work in the colony is done by the laborers, including finding food, tending the young, and repairing the nest.
The soldiers are wingless immature men and women responsible for defending the colony. They are easily recognized by their larger head, which is darker than their body. Their mandibles evolved to be used to defend colonies, but have made them dependent on the workers who feed them.
Adult winged termites, known as alates or swarmers, are the only ones with fully functioning wings and eyes. They are darker in color and slightly different from the other members of the colony.
Winged termites emerge in large numbers, usually in the spring, in search of a suitable new colony location from colonies. It then sheds its wings, mates, and becomes a primary reproductive member of the new colony.
Sometimes other insects are misidentified as termites. A great way to tell termites apart from flying ants is by their thick waist, straight antennae, and wings that match their body length.
Ants are usually a minor nuisance
Ants usually scurry around diligently on the ground or other surfaces. To the casual observer, this appears to be nothing more than random and meaningless movement, but the reality is very different.
These are the worker ants that are most commonly seen looking for food for their nestmates. It is their job during their short lives to provide an endless source of food for those remaining in the nest.
Many soldier ants remain in the nest to defend their home area. If an intruder invades, it will attack and move the eggs to safer locations if necessary.
The queens, and there can be several in a colony, produce ants of the next generation. Her title implies royal treatment, but her subterranean existence and repetitive duty have little nobility.
In many cases, queen ants only see the light of day when they swarm in spring and early summer to build a new home. With minor variations, the social existence of ants is a caste system of assigned jobs from the moment they hatch. Society is rigid and firm and has no potential for upward mobility.
Leon County has many native species of ants. As with most insects, they seek a specific environment that suits their needs for food and shelter. Usually these natives are a little nuisance at most.
Still, it is wise to be sure of what tiny flying social insect is lurking nearby. Home ownership and bank balance may depend on proper identification.
To learn more about this wood-eating insect in Tallahassee, Fort Braden, and Leon Counties, contact your nearest UF / IFAS County Extension Office or visit https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local- office /. To read more stories from Les Harrison, visit: Outdoorauthor.com and follow me on Facebook.
The Harrisons (Photo: UF / Leon County Extension Office)
Les Harrison is a retired UF / IFAS Wakulla County Extension Agent.
Don’t Miss A Story: Subscribe to the Tallahassee Democrat using the link at the top of the page.
Read or share this story: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/life/home-garden/2021/03/19/destructive-termites-strike-out-colonize-new-territory-spring/4748443001/
