As their name implies, these termites live underground. These are the termites that probably cause the most overall damage to structures. Workers and soldiers are about 1/4th inch in size, while the reproductive males and females are about 3/8ths inch. Soldiers have a larger head with long mandibles. The reproductives are dark brown, while the workers are a colorless gray. Workers will eat any damp wood, and even damp carpets, to feed the other members of the colony. Even the nymphs will chew on wood. A single colony can have hundreds of thousands of workers. They have a high humidity requirement, and form tubes extending from the ground to travel in search of wood. The tubes are formed from saliva, soil, and bits of chewed wood. Tubes may also be used as shelter, migratory paths, and an exit for swarmers. Extreme damage can develop fairly quickly--the interior portion of wood is eaten leaving behind only the outer shell, along with any harder wood portions the termites didn't want to finish.

Life Cycle:

Eggs take about 50 days to hatch. After the first year, several fertile females assist the queen in laying eggs. Growth progresses through up to seven instars, which takes well over two years. The whole egg to adult process can be 3-4 years in length. Adults will swarm after the start of fall and spring rains. The males and females pair off, drop their wings, and burrow into the ground in search of wood and to start a new colony. Wings on the swarmers are longer than the body, one major sign that they are not ants!