Termites (superfamily Termitoidea)

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Termites (superfamily Termitoidea)

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It's relatively common for people to upload sightings which may actually contain multiple species.E.g. photos of a plant that may also have captured an insect on one of the leaves OR a photo containin...

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MichaelMulvaney wrote:

14 May 2025

Thanks Don

Nasutitermes exitiosus

SenexRugosus wrote:

14 May 2025

Thanks @DonFletcher, it is true that these guys are in a tree stump, with no visible termite mound nearby. I'll try to get some better photos of the soldiers if they are still there.

Nasutitermes (genus)

DonFletcher wrote:

14 May 2025

Hi @MichaelMulvaney @AlisonMilton These soldiers look like Nasutitermes exitiosus. If they are from a termite mound, as I suspect, then that will be definitely the case.

Nasutitermes exitiosus

DonFletcher wrote:

14 May 2025

Hi @MichaelMulvaney , The only soldier (1st pic) does not look like exitiosus to me. The pale head makes me suspect its one of the other Nasutitermes species that does not build a mound.

Hi @SenexRugosus, The 'beak' is the head of a soldier in one of the Gluegun genus of termites, Nasutitermes. Their jaws are reduced to the extent you cant normally see them. For defensive purposes the soldiers produce a droplet of goo from the pointed end of their snout, which gums up and dissolves enemy ants and other termite species. Soldiers are the caste that is used for identification of the species. The majority of other termites in your photos are workers, plus there is what I assume to be an immature male.

Nasutitermes (genus)

DonFletcher wrote:

13 May 2025

Thanks

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Termites (superfamily Termitoidea)

Termites (superfamily Termitoidea)

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