Formosan Subterranean Termite

The Formosan termite is a species of termite local to southern China and introduced to Taiwan, Japan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, and the continental United States. Scientific Name: Coptotermes formosanus Range: Native to China; established in southern U.S. including New Orleans, Hawaii Size: Workers 5 mm; soldiers 6–7 mm; alates 12–15 mm Status: Invasive ID Notes: Soldiers have oval (not rectangular) heads and curved mandibles. Alates yellow-brown with hairy wings. Behavior / Notes: Mass swarms of alates in May–June. New Orleans is a global hotspot — has devoured significant portions of French Quarter buildings. A single colony can have millions of individuals.