The Formosan subterranean termite (FST), Coptotermes formosanus, is a very destructive pest first reported in California in 1992 in La Mesa, San Diego County. FST has since been found in Canyon Lake, Riverside County, Rancho Santa Fe (San Diego County) and Highland Park (Los Angeles County).
While this termite species is currently only found in a few locations in Southern California, it's important for residents and professional pest managers to be aware of them. Wood destroying pests can easily be moved through human activities.
To identify Formosan termites, UC IPM advisor Dr. Siavash Taravati and Dr. Chow-Yang Lee of UC Riverside developed this poster. Email them at starvati@ucanr.edu or chowyang.lee@ucr.edu...
Termite Awareness Week is a campaign created by the National Pest Management Association to call attention to the damage termites can cause to structures and to make sure residents and professional pest managers understand how to prevent and deal with termite infestations.
Did you know?
- Of the 23 species of termites in California, only 3 are considered pests. The three pest species are dampwood, drywood, and subterranean termites.
- Subterranean termites are the most common in California. They live in underground nests and can be found infesting wood that is in contact with the soil, including structural lumber in homes...
- Author: Andrew Mason Sutherland
It's that time of year again: termite swarm season! Western subterranean termites, Reticulitermes hesperus (species complex), produce reproductive swarms during calm sunny periods immediately following the first autumn rains. This is especially pronounced in the San Francisco Bay Area and parts of the Sacramento Valley, where mature termite colonies across a broad region may swarm simultaneously en masse, filling the air with termites fluttering their gossamer wings and filling social media discussions with wonder, horror, confusion, and dread.
Western subterranean termites may also swarm in the
![Reproductives of dampwood, drywood and subterranean termites (L-R). [R. Tabuchi]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/35186small.jpg)
Termite Awareness Week (March 16-22) is a campaign created by the National Pest Management Association to call attention to the damage termites can cause to structures and to make sure homeowners understand how to prevent and deal with termite infestations.
Did you know?
- Of the 23 species of termites in California, only three are considered pests. The three pest species are dampwood, drywood, and subterranean termites.
- Subterranean termites are the most common in California. They can be found infesting wood that is in contact with the soil, including structural lumber in homes and landscapes, as...
![Swarming subterranean termites. [Photo by A.M. Sutherland]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/22632small.jpg)
Finding out that your house is infested with subterranean termites is among many homeowners' greatest fears. Mud-covered shelter tubes in the basement or crawl space may be the first sign that homeowners observe; these tubes allow termites to travel from the soil beneath the house to the wooden structure above. Or you may simply see swarms of winged termites in the spring or fall on a sunny day after rain. If you think you have a termite infestation, you need to call a professional for help. A newly revised Pest Note: Subterranean and Other Termites by Vernard Lewis, UC Berkeley, Andrew Sutherland, UC IPM, and Mike Haverty, UC Berkeley, provides information on...
