Incisitermes snyderi

Distinguished from other drywood termites by geographic range and morphological features of the soldier caste. Soldiers have a pronotum narrower than the head width and mandibles with an enlarged tooth near the base. Alates have two pairs of equal-sized wings with complex venation and three distinct sclerotized spots on the anterior margin of the pronotum. Differentiated from the western drywood termite (Incisitermes minor) by distribution and subtle differences in soldier head capsule shape.

Inhabits dead wood of both hardwoods and softwoods, including standing dead trees, fallen branches, and seasoned lumber. Does not require soil moisture; colonies persist entirely within dry wood. Common in structural timbers of buildings, furniture, and wooden artifacts.

Southeastern United States, ranging from North Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas.

Cellulose from wood; digested with assistance of gut symbionts including flagellate protists and bacteria.

Hemimetabolous development. Colonies founded by a pair of alates after a dispersal flight. No true worker caste; immatures perform labor and may differentiate into soldiers or reproductives as needed. Colony size typically small, often fewer than 1000 individuals.

Colonies remain entirely within wood galleries. Alates emerge for dispersal flights, usually in spring or early summer evenings. Soldiers defend the colony by blocking gallery entrances with their phragmotic heads and can secrete defensive chemicals.

Decomposer of dead wood; contributes to nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. In natural settings, accelerates decay of standing dead trees and fallen branches.

Significant economic pest of wooden structures in the southeastern United States. Infestations cause damage to structural timbers, furniture, flooring, and wooden artifacts. Control requires fumigation or localized heat treatment due to inaccessible colony locations within wood.

• Incisitermes minorOverlaps in some regions; distinguished by western distribution, slightly larger size, and differences in soldier head capsule proportions.
• Cryptotermes brevisAnother drywood termite in overlapping range; soldiers have a more rounded pronotum and different mandible structure.

• termite
• drywood
• pest
• structural pest
• kalotermitidae
• southeastern united states
• wood-feeding
• lower termite

• BugGuide
• GBIF taxonomy match
• iNaturalist taxon
• NCBI Taxonomy
• Catalogue of Life