BlattodeaHeterotermitidae – Subterranean Termites2 data sources
Eastern Subterranean Termite
Reticulitermes flavipes
This record describes Reticulitermes flavipes (species). Recorded family: Heterotermitidae. Recorded order: Blattodea.
Identification and Appearance
(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse
Reticulitermes flavipes, the eastern subterranean termite is the most common termite found in North America. These termites are the most economically important wood destroying insects in the United States and are classified as pests. They feed on cellulose material such as the structural wood in buildings, wooden fixtures, paper, books and cotton. A mature colony can range from 20,000 workers to as high as 5 million workers and the primary queen of the colony lays 5,000...
Wikipedia reference for Reticulitermes flavipes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_subterranean_termite.
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
About Cockroaches and Termites: the wider group
Order-level background for Blattodea, the group containing Reticulitermes flavipes. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
Blattodea includes ~4,600 cockroach species and ~3,000 termite species. Only about 30 cockroach species are associated with human habitats - less than 1% of all species.
Ecological role of the group
Termites contribute ~40% of soil arthropod biomass globally, far exceeding ants at ~10%. Cockroaches are ancient insects dating back 320 million years and are critical decomposers in tropical forest ecosystems, recycling leaf litter and dead wood.
Economic and practical significance of the group
Termites cause $5-30 billion in damage to structures in the U.S. annually. They damage approximately 600,000 American homes each year, with average repair costs of $3,000-$17,000. A subterranean termite colony can consume one pound of wood per day.
Recorded sources for this group: USDA, Orkin, Today's Homeowner, PNAS soil biomass study. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens(c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens
Photo credits: (c) Angella Moorehouse, all rights reserved, uploaded by Angella Moorehouse | (c) Jeff Eickwort, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jeff Eickwort | (c) Annika Lindqvist, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annika Lindqvist | (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz | (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND) | (c) Anita Gould, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anita Gould | (c) Sequoia Janirella Wrens, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sequoia Janirella Wrens
