Glyptotermes brevicornis

Glyptotermes brevicornis is a species of drywood termite belonging to the family Kalotermitidae. These insects live entirely within their food source, creating complex systems of galleries.

Adults are recognized by their flattened bodies and relatively short antennae. The colony consists of soldiers, workers, and reproductives, each playing a specific role in maintaining the structure.

Identification often relies on the morphology of the soldiers, particularly the shape of the head and the arrangement of teeth on their mandibles, which are distinct for this species.

Unlike subterranean termites, this species does not require contact with the soil, allowing it to survive in isolated pieces of timber or tree trunks.

They are cryptic insects that avoid light and physical disturbance, making their detection very difficult during the early stages of infestation.

This termite feeds on cellulose found in wood. It primarily attacks dead or dying wood, but can also infest living trees that have wounds or decaying heartwood.

In agricultural settings, it can severely weaken the structural integrity of fruit trees, leading to yield loss and potential tree mortality during extreme weather.

Ornamental trees are also at risk, particularly those in old gardens where neglect of pruning and sanitation provides the perfect habitat for colonization.

In addition to trees, the species is a major threat to timber structures such as wooden fences, sheds, and farm buildings, where they can cause silent, long-term damage.

• Infestation of fruit tree trunks.
• Degradation of landscape timber.
• Structural damage to wooden garden buildings.

The most common sign of an infestation is the presence of frass, which are small, pellet-like fecal droppings that accumulate beneath the site of the attack.

Hollow-sounding wood when tapped is a reliable indicator that the internal tissue has been extensively consumed by the termite colony.

The appearance of small holes in the bark or wood surface often indicates where alates have emerged or where workers have cleared debris from their tunnels.

Depressions or cracks in the wood surface often suggest significant structural damage occurring just beneath the bark layer.

In rare instances, the sound of soldier termites tapping their heads against the wood galleries can be heard, serving as an acoustic warning of their presence.

Good sanitation practices, such as the removal of dead stumps, fallen branches, and decayed wood from the vicinity, are essential to prevent infestation.

For infested living trees, targeted insecticide injections into the galleries can eliminate the colony without the need to destroy the entire plant.

Protecting wooden infrastructure with appropriate chemical preservatives prevents termites from establishing new colonies in your property's structures.

Maintaining vigorous plant health through adequate fertilization and irrigation helps trees resist the initial colonization attempts by termites.

If an infestation is extensive, professional fumigation or heat treatment may be required to reach termites hidden deep within the wood structure.