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How to Identify Termite Larvae

Termites are extremely destructive and dangerous insects to find in your home. They have the ability to eat a vast amount of wood in a short amount of time, which can undermine the structural stability of property. It is important to identify termites as early as possible, even in the larval stage, so that you can take care of the problem and protect your house. Termites usually need to be removed through a professional service due to the difficulty of reaching them underground, but you can help begin the process by identifying them and their larvae.

Instructions

- 1
  Look for termite larvae in termite nests. Termite nests are most often found in wooden structures and trees. They are often underground. When looking in your home, you will need to check the crawl space underneath your house or basement area. Look for mud tunnels, winged termites in your home, piles of wings that have shed and damaged wood.
- 2
  Identify larvae by their physical characteristics. Larvae are undeveloped termites that are smaller and more translucent than their adult counterparts. Adult termites are light brown to black in color while larvae are white, pink or light brown. They do not have wings or legs when they first hatch.
- 3
  Look for adult termites to be taking care of the larvae. Larvae are usually found near the reproductive castes of termites, which do not burrow or destroy wood for food. They hatch from eggs, so finding termite eggs in a termite nest means that larvae will be present within a few weeks at the latest.

Insects & Science