Subterranean Termite Frass
Reticulitermes flavipes · Insect, Invertebrate, Cold-blooded, Wild
Animal Family
Family Rhinotermitidae, Order Blattodea
Animal Category
Insect/Arthropod
Breed / Variety
Eastern Subterranean Termite
Conservation Status
Not applicable, considered a major structural pest with abundant populations.
About This Creature
The image shows droppings or frass left behind by termites or wood-boring insects on a painted wooden surface, consisting of tiny, elongated, dark pellets.
Physical Characteristics
Microscopic to small pellet-like excrement, brownish to black in color, often grouped in small piles or scattered.
Behavior & Temperament
Social insects living in large underground colonies, highly cooperative, nocturnal and concealed within wood or soil.
Habitat & Diet
Origin Region
North America
Habitat
Subterranean and wood structures, terrestrial
Diet & Nutrition
Xylophagous, feeding on cellulose from wood, paper, and plant matter.
Lifespan & Health
Colonies can live for decades with a queen, while individual workers live for several months or years.
Special Characteristics
Destructive to wooden structures, highly organized social structure, lacks eyes except for reproductive alates.
Ecological Information
Acts as a decomposer breaking down dead wood in natural ecosystems, but serves as a destructive pest in human environments.