A 13-year termite (Insecta, Blattodea) monitoring programme in the Azores: Dataset and findings

Records of <i>Cryptotermes brevis</i> overwhelmingly dominated the monitoring data, comprising 1,801 of the 1,832 total events (98%), a pattern consistent with previous surveys of its rapid spread in the Azorean urban environment. These detections were heavily concentrated on two islands: Terceira (n = 919) and São Miguel (n = 755). In contrast, Faial, Pico and Santa Maria each yielded roughly 40 records and São Jorge only seven. Annual trap-capture counts across all islands increased steadily from approximately 40 captures in 2011 to 154 in 2024, peaking at 185 in 2023.<i>Kalotermes flavicollis</i> was the second most frequently recorded species (n = 24), with most records originating on São Miguel, mirroring its more restricted distribution. The two subterranean termites, <i>Reticulitermes grassei</i> and <i>R. flavipes</i>, were documented exclusively on Faial and Terceira, respectively, consistent with their historically limited foothold in the archipelago.Now established on every surveyed island and exhibiting an upward trajectory in annual detection counts, <i>C. brevis</i> remains the foremost urban termite threat in the Azores. To forestall further structural outbreaks, Integrated Pest Management should place sustained emphasis on early detection - through year-round trap checks - and on heightened public awareness, by encouraging residents to report both the characteristic pin-sized faecal pellets and any termite occurrence observed during swarming periods.