Coptotermes formosanus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The Formosan termite (Coptotermes formosanus) is a species of termite local to southern China and introduced to Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa, where it gets its name), Japan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Hawaii, and the continental United States.
The Formosan termite is often nicknamed the super-termite because of its destructive habits due to the large size of its colonies and its ability to consume wood at a rapid rate. Populations of these termites have become large enough to appear on New Orleans' weather radars.
A mature Formosan colony can consume as much as 13 ounces of wood a day (about 400 g) and can severely damage a structure in as little as three months. Formosan termites infest a wide variety of structures (including boats and high-rise condominiums) and can damage trees. In the United States, along with another species, Coptotermes gestroi, introduced from Southeast Asia, they are responsible for tremendous damage to property resulting in large treatment and repair costs.
Coptotermes formosanus is a social insect. Crops include sugarcane. Formosan termites... Wikipedia →
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More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Formosan Subterranean Termite sighting in Houston on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 734th most-seen of the 1057 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Formosan Subterranean Termite in Houston on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Formosan Subterranean Termite sightings, Houston ranks 4th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Shanghai (China, under 5%), Guangzhou (China, under 5%) and Taipei (Taiwan, under 5%).
Same order: Blattodea
The closest relatives of the Formosan Subterranean Termite that you can see in Houston (order Blattodea, Cockroaches and Termites) are American Cockroach (about 10%) and Surinam Cockroach (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Formosan Subterranean Termite is recorded against all the insects logged in Houston (10 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
