Isoptera

What Does Isoptera Mean?

Isoptera are a group of insects whose four wings are nearly identical in size and shape, with termites being a common example.

Termites, sometimes known as white ants, are common pests that can cause serious damage to buildings, plants, or forests. Some species of termites such as the West Indian drywood termite are considered a threatening invasive species.

Maximum Yield Explains Isoptera

The Isoptera’s diet is cellulose-based plant material, which can include anything from a rotting log to the wood within a house. All cellulose-based plants can become food for the termite and they can destroy weak trees or shrubs when present in the garden.

Garden structures such as arbors or pergolas also provide the cellulose-based food that termites thrive on. They can often hide in walls, basements, and attics in homes, as well.

Most of their damage isn’t immediately noticed and for this reason they are sometimes referred to as the “silent destroyer.” They are so hardy and so destructive that it has spurred a multi-billion dollar industry dedicated to their elimination as a household pest. In some cultures however, termites are prized as a delicacy and used in traditional medicine.