Similar in appearance to other Subterranean termites: Yellowish brown in color, narrow oval shaped bodies, about ½” in length. Formosans are organized into huge underground colonies, and build intricate mud nests inside the walls of structures. Reproductives swarm at night in late May and early June and are attracted to lights. They have a dense covering of hair on their transparent wings.

Because of their aggressive nature, Formosan termites are difficult to control once they infest a structure. The only way to deal with Formosan termites is prevention. Once you have an infestation, it can be a long and difficult problem to resolve.

The Formosan termite is known to attack over 50 species of living plants as well as structural lumber. They cannot penetrate concrete, but have been known to attack non-cellulose materials like plastic, asphalt, and thin sheets of soft metal.