Reticulitermes hesperus, the western subterranean termite, is a species of termite in the family Rhinotermitidae. It is found in Central America and North America.[1][2][3] R. hesperus is native to the coast between British Columbia and Southern California.[4] Like other subterranean termites, they live underground, where they have elaborate eusocial societies composed of a queen, workers, and soldiers, as well as a rotating case of sexually reproductive adults and their larval and immature offspring.[5] The reproductive adults are the only ones with functional wings.[5] The reproductive adults will swarm on warm days in spring and fall, particularly after a rain event, looking for mating partners.[5] These termites prefer moist living environments and prefer to consume wood that has already been partially decayed by saprotrophic fungus.[5]
| Reticulitermes hesperus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reproductive adult on the wing | |
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| Workers in the colony | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Blattodea |
| Infraorder: | Isoptera |
| Family: | Rhinotermitidae |
| Genus: | Reticulitermes |
| Species: | R. hesperus
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| Binomial name | |
| Reticulitermes hesperus Banks in Banks & Snyder, 1920
| |
A similar species, Reticulitermes tibialis, is more common in the interior of western North America.[4]
Ecology
editAdults and nymphs are preyed on by the larvae of the lacewing Lomamyia latipennis. The lacewing lays its eggs on stumps and rotten logs and the newly hatched larvae make their way to termite galleries via crevices. Having found a termite, the first instar larva waves its abdomen and releases an allomone which paralyses the termite in two to three minutes; it then consumes the termite. Second and third instar lacewing larvae can subdue several termites at the same time.[6][7]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Reticulitermes hesperus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Reticulitermes hesperus". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Reticulitermes hesperus species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ a b "Western U.S. has more subterranean termite species than previously thought, study shows | College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences". cnas.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
- ^ a b c d Lewis, V. R.; Sutherland, A. M.; Haverty, M. I. (May 2014). "Subterranean and Other Termites (UC ANR Publication 7415)". University of California Statewide IPM Program.
- ^ New, T.R. (1991). Insects as Predators. NSW University Press. ISBN 9780868402765.
- ^ "Reticulitermes hesperus (western subterranean termite)". Invasive Species Compendium. CABI. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
Further reading
edit
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