Formosan subterranean termite
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none, none
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Many; see text.
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Introduction
Formosan termites are the most aggressive and destructive timber pests in the United States. It is an imported species, native to China. The Formosan subterranean termite (FST) acquired its name because it was first described in Taiwan in the early 1900s, but C. formosanus is probably endemic to southern China. This destructive species was apparently transported to Japan prior to the 1600s and to Hawaii in the late 1800s (Su and Tamashiro 1987). By the1950s, it was reported in South Africa and Sri Lanka. During the 1960s it was found in Texas, Louisiana, and South Carolina. In 1980, a well-established colony was thriving in a condominium in Hallandale, Florida. The Formosan termite is rarely found North of 35° N latitude. They have been reported from 11 states including: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. Their distribution will probably continue to be restricted to southern areas because their eggs will not hatch below about 20° C (68° F). A single colony of FST may contain several million termites (versus several hundred thousand termites for native subterranean termite species) that forage up to 300 ft in soil. Because of its population size and foraging range, the presence of FST colonies poses serious threats to nearby structures. Once established, FST has never been eradicated from an area.[1]