WETWOOD TERMITE

Stolotermes ruficeps

Termites live in colonies with a queen. A colony usually consists of between 50 and 250 termites, most of which are nymphs, but if the host material is suitable a colony may grow to about 3000 individuals and sub-colonies connected to the initial one may be formed. The nymphs construct surface tunnels of cemented soil, faecal pellets, wood particles and other detritus to protect themselves when passing from an established colony to new feeding grounds. Nymphs become either workers or soldiers.

Description: Adults (above) are dark brown to black and about 12mm long. The head is almost spherical with long, slender antennae and a narrower segment immediately behind the head. The dark wings are about twice as long as the body and are folded flat over the abdomen when at rest. Nymphs are white to pale yellow with external wing buds. Soldiers (centre) do not have wing buds; their long heads are dark at the front but orange at the rear, with jaws about one-third as long as the head.

Habitat and distribution: Colonies are found in forests throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, in dead and rotting trees, branches, logs and stumps. They prefer native kauri, rimu, northern rātā, beech and Podocarpus as well as exotic macrocarpa, eucalypts, willow and pine.

Biology: Winged adults swarm in autumn, and rarely fly further than 30m. Most shed their wings immediately after the first flight and move to shelter in cracks and holes. The first eggs are laid in the following spring and take 33–35 days to hatch. The first nymphs to emerge are fed by the parents and later function as a worker caste (below); some develop into soldiers. Growth of a colony may continue for three or more years before mature nymphs become winged, reproductive adults and swarm.

Status in Aotearoa: Endemic