Abstract
There are two genera of termites occurring naturally in Western Europe, Reticulitermes and Kalotermes. The first is an inhabitant of soil and “moist” wood, while Kalotermes inhabits dry woods mostly aboveground (SCICCHITANO et al. 2018). This genus is repre-sented in Europe by two species: Kalotermes flavicollis and the recently described K. italicus (GHESINI & MARINI 2013). The first one has recently been split by means of genetic approaches into further several subgroups (SCICCHITANO et al. 2018).
Kalotermes flavicollis is a dry wood termite species that is restricted to the Mediterranean basin from Greece to Spain (GHESINE & MARINI 2013). This termite has a hidden life form within timber of different kind (BUCHELOS et al. 2017), where it forages and constructs its nest. Only for the swarming of winged animals they emerge, also in great numbers. Their hidden and lucifugous way of life makes it easy to overlook them. Finally, K. flavicollis has the potential to become a pest (living in wood-floors, painting frames or other wooden objects) threatening cultural buildings and artefacts (NOBRE & NUNES 2001; DOMENICO & MAISTRELLO 2014) and causing problems also in vineyards (LÓPEZ et al. 2003)