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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Cockroaches and Termites (Blattodea) » Blattoidea » Epifamily Termitoidae - Termites » Subterranean Termites (Rhinotermitidae) » Reticulitermes » Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes flavipes)
Photo#477226
Insect or nematode tower - Reticulitermes flavipes
Copyright © 2010 Scott J

Insect or nematode tower - Reticulitermes flavipes
Albany, Center Square County, New York, USA
Size: 5/8" x 1/8" (tower size)
Hi, I found this tower built on a wood window stool in a basement apartment. The stool is ground level and I know that it is usually moist behind the finished wall, a brick foundation. The tower is about 5/8" tall by 1/8" diameter and the hole inside is the size of a powder post beetle hole and goes through the stool. The texture is not smooth like I've seen with termite tunnels on cellar walls but granular; it was very durable. Except for the texture it reminds me of the termite towers I've seen in the Amazon.
Thank you,
Scott
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Contributed by Scott J on 5 December, 2010 - 10:05am
Last updated 8 December, 2010 - 11:32pm

Moved
The Reticulitermes termites build their tubes one dot of feces at a time, mixing in partially chewed up wood and regurgitated fluid as they go to get the texture just right. They take particular care to ensure excellent placement of material and proper moisture content, and are constantly repairing the tubes as they age. The only species expected in Albany to construct tubes like this is Reticulitermes flavipes

Moved from Subterranean termites.
… John Carlson, 8 December, 2010 - 11:32pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… John R. Maxwell, 5 December, 2010 - 12:34pm login or register to post comments

Interesting...
There are some superficially similar structures in the Guide under Subterranean Termites:



Couldn't say for sure that's what you've got, though.
… Ken Wolgemuth, 5 December, 2010 - 10:25am login or register to post comments

 
insect tower
Thank you Ken and Natalie,
I thought it might be termites but the granular deposits and the tower to nowhere threw me off. You think it was funded by the Federal Gov't?
Scott
… Scott J, 5 December, 2010 - 3:41pm login or register to post comments

 
Yes is it probably an exploratory tube.
They often makes these in search of food or new nesting sites.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pni7415-3a.html

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pni7415-2.html
… Natalie Hernandez, 5 December, 2010 - 12:33pm login or register to post comments

 
insect tower
Thank you Natalie,
Scott
… Scott J, 5 December, 2010 - 3:42pm login or register to post comments

Cropping
please crop your images close to "just the bug" (or tower in this case), and use the "add image" feature to submit multiple images rather than creating a collage. Only you and the editors can see your full size images, so everyone else just sees a tiny speck.
… John R. Maxwell, 5 December, 2010 - 10:08am login or register to post comments

 
Tower
Thank you, I fixed it.
Scott
… Scott J, 5 December, 2010 - 10:19am login or register to post comments

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