The long jawed desert termite ( Gnathamitermes perplexus ) is a very common termite here in the high deserts of Arizona. This termite is considered a great little recycler and no corrective action is suggested when you find them outside around the structure. Gnathamitermes coves its food with a plaster like mud then consumes the weathered surface (see attached pictures). We often get called out to houses because home owners are afraid that they are going to get into the structure but with their inability to eat hard wood they are not a threat. On some occasions we have found Gnathamitermes coming threw cracks in slabs and eating the paper on drywall. When this happens we do suggest a corrective action to stop this type of structural damage.
