| AgBIO COMMUNICATIONS UNIT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY Termites present in most of South Dakota For release: 1-26-2006 Contact: Mike Catangui, (605) 688-4603 February is the time of year when termites may become active indoors, and South Dakota homeowners should watch for signs of them. South Dakota State University Extension Entomologist Mike Catangui said although termite infestations in the state are low, there have been reports of termites from at least 29 counties in past years. “We usually see the ‘swarmer’ form of termite indoors starting in February here in South Dakota,” Catangui said. The termite present in South Dakota is the Eastern subterranean termite. Catangui believes that this species is native to the state. Termites have a role to play in nature as decomposers of dead trees and plant materials. It is when termites feed on wood in the house that they become destructive. Termites have been reported in Union, Clay, Yankton, Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Brule, Lincoln, Turner, Douglas, Davison, Hanson, McCook, Minnehaha, Miner, Lake, Brookings, Brown, Edmunds, Hughes, Stanley, Jones, Dewey, Harding, Butte, Lawrence, Meade, Pennington, Fall River and Bennett counties. Brown County Extension Educator Jerry Mills said the pests are enough of a threat that termite inspections are now required in many parts of the state as part of the building inspection when someone buys a house. He added that builders or homeowners undertaking home improvement projects should be careful in how they place foam insulation or foam board so that it doesn’t form a bridge between the ground and the wood of a home. “Termites use that as a conduit from the ground to the wood structure of the house, in a lot of cases. It’s just an invitation for termites,” Mills said. Catangui said carpenter ants and other winged ants can sometimes be mistaken for termites. To distinguish ants from termites, remember that carpenter ants typically have a waist – a pinch between their abdomen and thorax. Termites are straight-waisted. Termites have four wings the same in color, texture and size. On carpenter ants, the front two wings are bigger than the hind wings. Ants have elbowed antennas; termites have straight, bead-like antennas. Termites form mud tubes in moving from ground to wood, and these may be found on the foundations of homes where termites are invading. Carpenter ants use wood for nesting and shelter, but do not use it as food. Termites are more destructive because they can digest cellulose and feed on wood. Reports of damage to structures continue to be low compared to other states such as California, Florida, and even Nebraska, Catangui said. He added that termites will take about four months to consume a 1-foot long 2-by-4. That allows homeowners ample time to get a positive identification free of charge through the local Extension office. SDSU Extension can also provide free advice in planning for a control strategy. Mills said new control programs use state-of-the-art insecticides that termites carry back to the colony, making it easier than ever before to deal with the pests. More about termites in South Dakota is available in a past issue of Catangui’s SDSU Extension Entomology newsletter, available online at this link: http://plantsci.sdstate.edu/ent/entpubs/SEE%20009.htm. The site includes links to photos to help in identification. Lastly, Catangui’s reminder to home builders and homeowners: “Absolutely no wood-to-soil or foam-to-soil contact.” -30- |