In Portugal, subterranean termites of the genus Reticulitermes are indigenous and a well-established pest of wood in service. Mapping their distribution has therefore become important. A field sampling campaign was established along a North-South transect based on 50x50 km cells (Universal Transverse Mercator grid system, UTM). A variety of typical habitats, ranging from forest sites of Eucalyptus, Pinus, Pseudotsuga and Quercus, to scrubland and low vegetation, was included. The universal presence of the termites underlined the difference between the field distribution of termites and the occurrence predicted by risk modelling. In countries like Portugal, where termites can be found in suitable habitats almost anywhere, the assessment of risk requires more attention to construction type and the immediate surroundings.

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