Northern Harvester Termites
Northern Harvester Termites
Northern harvester termites are easily visible above ground during autumn and early winter, gathering food for storage from open grassland areas. These large insects are classified as soldiers (15 mm), workers (8-13 mm) and every complex nest that hosts the queen (25 mm). Workers have dark brown heads and brown- and cream-striped bodies. The soldiers are golden brown in colour and have strong curved and toothed jaws with which to protect the colony.
On sunny days, workers can be seen outside tunnels, foraging for pieces of plant material and will actively cut pieces of grass and other plant material and carry it back to the tunnels to be stored in subterranean storage areas. Heavy infestations can seriously damage veld or lawns if left uncontrolled.