Abstract: 【Aim】 Accurately zoning the geographic distribution of soil-dwelling termites in China will provide valuable insights for guiding precise prevention and control measures against termite infestation. This study aims to explore the geographic distribution zoning of soil-dwelling termites in China by using a mathematical model and combining the environmental factors affecting the distribution of soil-dwelling termites.【Methods】 We considered several environmental factors influencing termite distribution including temperature, precipitation, relative humidity and soil pH value, and adopted an iterative local search algorithm (ILS) to develop the zoning model. 【Results】 The ILS zoning model captured the actual distribution of soildwelling termites in China. The model divided the density of soildwelling termites in China into three regions: high-density area (D3), medium-density area (D2), and lowdensity area (D1) from south to north. The northernmost boundary of D3 extends from Nanjing (Jiangsu Province) in the east, passing through Wuhu (Anhui Province), Macheng and Shashi (Hubei Province), Fenggang (Guizhou Province), Yibin (Sichuan Province), and westward to Shangri-La (Yunnan Province). This northern boundary primarily follows the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The northernmost boundary of D2 starts from Yancheng (Jiangsu Province), traverses Fuyang (Anhui Province), Zhumadian (Henan Province), Shangzhou (Shaanxi Province), Chengxian (Gansu Province), and extends westward to Lianting (Sichuan Province). The eastern part of this northern boundary roughly follows the Huaihe River, forming a curved shape with a raised extremity. The northernmost boundary of D1 begins from Dongying (Shandong Province), passes through Handan (Hebei Province), Changzhi (Shanxi Province), Huating and Hezuo (Gansu Province), Yushu (Qinghai Province), and extends westward to Rikaze (Xizhang Autonomous Region). Its northern boundary mainly extends northward along the lower reaches of the Yellow River, forming a curve with a raised center. 【Conclusion】 The geographic distribution of soil-dwelling termites in China has extended beyond the Yellow River, exhibiting a density pattern characterized by higher density in the southern and eastern regions, and lower density in the northern and western regions. From south to north, the soil-dwelling termites in China can be broadly categorized into high-, medium- and low-density areas based on the natural geographical boundaries of the Yangtze River, the Huai River, and the Yellow River.

Key words: Soil-dwelling termite, spatial distribution, zoning, division, ILS algorithm