Reticulitermes flavipes

Appearance

Eastern subterranean termites, like other social insects, share resources and divide labor based on a caste system. They live in loosely associated societies called colonies which are composed of both males and females. The termites in the colony are generally organized into the worker caste, the soldier caste, and the reproductive caste.

Naming

So far, least 9 genera and 11 species of symbiotic flagellate have been found in the ''R. flavipes'' hindgut:
⤷  ''Dinenympha fimbriata'' Kirby, 1924
⤷  ''Dinenympha gracilis'' Leidy, 1877
⤷  ''Holomastigotes elongatum'' Grassi, 1892
⤷  ''Microjoenia fallax''
⤷  ''Monocercomonas sp.'' Grassi, 1879
⤷  ''Pyrsonympha major'' Powell, 1928
⤷  ''Pyrsonympha vertens'' Leidy, 1877
⤷  ''Spironympha kofoidi'' Koidzumi, 1917
⤷  ''Spirotrichonympha flagellata''
⤷  ''Trichomitus trypanoides''
⤷  ''Trichonympha agilis'' Leidy, 1877

A 2003 study that focused on oxymonad flagellates found evidence of at least one additional undescribed ''Dinenympha'' species. They also found what they believe is an undescribed "second" ''Pyrsonympha'' species in addition to ''P. vertens''. The authors question whether ''P. major'', which was first described in Reticulitermes hesperus, is truly found in ''R. flavipes'' and consider it a case of mistaken identity.

Distribution

The eastern subterranean termite is the most widely distributed ''Reticulitermes'' species. It occurs throughout the eastern United States, including Texas, and can be found as far north as southern Ontario. In 2006, ''R. flavipes'' was also recorded in Oregon, on the West coast of the United States.

''Reticulitermes santonensis'' in France is now understood to be a synonym of ''R. flavipes''. The species is now believed to originate in the southeastern United States and to be exotic or invasive in southern Canada, Europe , South America , and the Bahamas. An infestation of unknown origin was also discovered in an Italian house in 2008.

Behavior

''R. flavipes'' are opportunistic, and a newly hatched termite can develop into any of a number of castes. At first, it becomes a worker termite and is most likely to remain one for its entire lifespan. Molting can change the worker into a pre-soldier and subsequently, a soldier. The soldier caste is a terminal stage which can no longer molt.

''R. flavipes'' also molts into nymphs, which are the precursors of winged adult termites called alates which are sexually mature. Nymphal termites are non terminal and can revert to the worker stage. These reverted nymphs are called pseudergates. Nymphs and workers can also develop into secondary and tertiary neotenic reproductives respectively.Because termites are social insects, they share many of their tasks. This can be seen throughout the caste system, where different castes take on different responsibilities for the betterment of the whole colony. ''R. flavipes'' cooperate in the rearing of young and also share their resources with the nest.

Swarming is the sudden, dramatic appearance of ''R. flavipes'' alates in the daytime from February to April. After this behavior male and female alates lose their wings, pair up, and form new colonies.

''R. flavipes'' is mobile throughout its life and no permanent central nest area exists. Therefore, all termite castes can be found in any of the different sites occupied by a colony. Their activity is determined by food, moisture and temperature, and movement is usually driven by one of these necessities. Termites feed on anything made of or containing cellulose, but can tunnel into non-cellulose containing material to gain access to their destination. This behavior can be destructive to human activities.

Reproduction

Immature termites on the sexual, or reproductive, line are called nymphs and can be distinguished from workers by the presence of wing buds. Under natural conditions, the work that they do in the nest is negligible compared to that done by workers. They can feed themselves, but there is debate over how long they retain this ability.

Alates are winged, sexually mature adults that are capable of dispersal and outbreeding. In ''R. flavipes'', they are 8.5-10mm in length to the tips of their wings and have compound eyes, ocelli, and a dark brown to black fully sclerotized cuticle. As the species name suggests , the tarsi are yellowish. To distinguish ''R. flavipes'' from similar species , the position of the ocelli can be used: looking at the head from the side, the distance between the ocellus and the nearest compound eye is at least as large as the diameter of the ocellus.

Alates always develop from nymphs, with the last nymphal stage characterised by particularly long wing buds. After leaving their nests and swarming, male and female alates pair, shed their wings, begin excavating a new nest, and mate. From this point onward, they are called kings and queens, dealates, or primary reproductives.


Secondary reproductives, or neotenics, develop from either the reproductive line or, in rare cases, the worker line . Ergatoids are the only members of the reproductive caste that have neither wing buds nor wings. Like workers, soldiers, and nymphs, they are eyeless. Ergatoids are seldom found in nature.

Brachypterous neotenics, which are common in the French population of ''R. flavipes'' , and possibly other populations as well, develop from nymphs via a nymph-like pre-brachypterous neotenic stage. They can be distinguished from nymphs by their shorter wing buds , darker pigmentation, slight sclerotization, and longer abdomens. Like alates, brachypterous neotenics also have compound eyes and ocelli. Female neotenics lay eggs at a lower rate than queens, but when present in large numbers, they may play a significant role in the growth of the colony.