Western Drywood

The common name refers to its western United States distribution and to the fact that it lives in wood which has relatively low moisture content. It is found in the southwestern United States, northwestern Mexico, and may be permanently established in some areas of Florida statewide. However, it can be transported readily outside these areas in infested furniture, picture frames, etc.

Recognition

Swarmer. About 7/16-1/2 inch long including wings, wings 3/8 inch or longer. Head and pronotum orange brown, abdomen dark brown, and wing membrane and sclerotized veins blackish. Head with two ocelli; with hairs shorter than diameter of eye. Antenna with 10-11 segments, third segment slightly longer and darker than adjacent segments. Front wing with three dark, heavily sclerotized veins in front half/portion; median vein unsclerotized, running midway between sclerotized wing to join sclerotized radial sector vein and a few sclerotized diagonal cross veins branch to coastal margin; not hairy. Tibia with spines absent along length, apex with three spines; tarsi with arolium absent between claws.

Soldier. Forehead slopes down gradually from top of head, head flattened to slightly rounded on side view, and head orange to reddish brown with eye slot whitish. Mandibles with unequal number of teeth on each member of pair. Antenna with third segment greatly enlarged and blublike, as long as or longer than segments four to six combined, and about twice as wide as fourth segment. Pronotum as wide as or wider than head.

Habits

Swarming drywood termites fly into structures and infest wood directly. When swarming, they often reinfest the same structure. They typically first infest exposed wood such as window/door frames, trim, eaves, attics, etc. They do so by finding a protected crevice or other area, such as the joint between two pieces of wood, where shingles/paper overhang timber or molding, etc., and then attack the wood.