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VOL. 10, ISSUE 7 (2025)
Termites and their management
Authors
Udayasree M, B Nandini
Abstract
Termites are medium-sized, soft-bodied,
light-colored, polymorphic, cellulose-eating social insects living in large
communities of several hundred to several million individuals. The word
Isoptera originated from the Greek, in which “isos” means equal and “pteron”
means wing, and refers to the two pairs of identical wings in the adult. There
are about 2,650 species of termites in 280 genera and seven families worldwide.
The individuals are differentiated morphologically into distinct forms, i.e.,
reproductives (king and queen), workers, and soldiers. The parent termites, the
king and queen are the functional reproductives. The phenomenon of fungus
cultivation is practised and an indirect method of cellulose and lignin
utilization is carried out by the termites. Termites are considered a culinary
delicacy in most parts of Asia and Africa. As food, termites provide protein
and carbohydrates, fat and essential aminoacids to human beings and other
primates. About 300 species have been reported to cause significant
damage to agricultural crops and have been recorded as pests. Species of
Microtermes and Odontotermes have been found to damage different crops such as
sugarcane, wheat, barley, maize, vegetables, garden crops, valuable ornamental
crops, and even forest trees. Termites also feed on and often destroy various
other materials that people use, i.e., wooden portions of buildings,
furniture, books and utility poles. Baiting is the most recent method of
termite pest control. The best method of eliminating dry wood termites is by
chemical fumigation using the fumigant.
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Pages:149-156
How to cite this article:
Udayasree M, B Nandini "Termites and their management". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 10, Issue 7, 2025, Pages 149-156
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