The termite swarm season is upon us, and it won’t be long before thousands of Connecticut households will be horrified by the sight of small, winged insects emerging from living room carpets or cracks between walls and tiled floors. Termites are small, white, tan, or black insects that live in large nests or colonies. Individual “castes” of insects within the colony vary in appearance and perform different jobs, much like other social insects such as ants. The large queen lays the eggs, sometimes thousands in a single day. She is always accompanied by a king. Soldier termites typically have large heads with powerful jaws used to fend off their enemies—usually ants. The workers, who tend the queen, build the nest and forage for food make up the majority of the termites in the colony. Many types of termites have long lifespans: queens and kings can live for decades; workers for several years. Termites belong to an ancient order of insects, Isoptera, that has been in existence more than 100 million years. While Connecticut Residents think of them mainly as a destructive force, in fact termites make positive contributions to the ecosystem by breaking down and recycling wood and plant materials and aerating the soil. When they move into our houses and buildings, termites are very destructive. Termite infestation results in some $2 billion worth of damage each year in the United States alone which is why pest inspections are so important. Because they feed on wood, they can cause serious damage to our homes, apartments, commercial buildings or outbuildings such as barns or sheds, even to structures such as...
