Insect Identification

These termite pictures were taken by a very good friend of mine, Michael Keating. I helped him during the process as it took lots of patience to get these little guys to walk near the penny you see.

The penny is there for scale. Termites are not big. In fact, if you were to measure one, they might be half the length of an average grain of uncooked white rice.

The termites in these photos are of the eastern subterranean variety. This termite type is the most common type found east of the Mississippi River.

The body of the termite is really pretty fragile. They need moisture to keep their skin or shell nice and supple. If they dry out, they die pretty quickly. This is why wet soil around or under your home is a favorite place for them to thrive.

The termites in these photos are of the eastern subterranean variety. This termite type is the most common type found east of the Mississippi River.

The body of the termite is really pretty fragile. They need moisture to keep their skin or shell nice and supple. If they dry out, they die pretty quickly. This is why wet soil around or under your home is a favorite place for them to thrive.

As a termite colony matures, it sends out mature termites to form other colonies. These are the termites with wings. So if you see lots of winged insects, capture some, put them in a plastic zip-lock bag and put them in the refrigerator. Once they have stopped moving around, see if their body shape doesn't match what you see below.

If you suspect termite activity in your home and take apart some wood and see small white insects like in the following photos, they are probably termites. Don't panic, but do call a great exterminator who can inject new chemicals in the soil around your home that will kill the termites.