Drywood termites generally live, feed and nest in undecayed wood which has a very low moisture content. Unlike subterranean termites, they do not require any contact with the soil in order to live. Thus, they can seriously damage movable wooden objects such as furniture. In the United States, drywood termites are found in a narrow strip from Virginia, south to Florida, along the Gulf of Mexico and from Mexico to northern California on the Pacific coast.
A male and female pair work their way into the wood chosen for the nest. The opening through which they enter the wood is sealed with a plug of brown cement-like material about 1/8-inch in diameter. Behind this plug they excavate a chamber where the queen lays the first eggs. The nymphs which hatch from these eggs perform the work of the
colony. Soldiers and reproductives develop from these nymphs. There is no distinct worker caste as in subterranean termites.
During the swarming season, nymphs make round holes 1/16- to 1/8-inch in diameter through which the reproductive forms leave the wood. When swarming is completed, these holes are plugged in the same way as the entrance holes. Damage done by drywood termites is entirely different from that caused by subterranean termites. These termites cut across the grain of the wood, excavating large chambers which are connected by small tunnels.