Although termites are an important part of nature, they are well known for causing major damage to homes and trees. Homeowners that are not aware of the signs of termites are at risk of actually losing their entire home to termite damage. Luckily, with some background knowledge, most people can learn what to look for to ensure their property is protected.

First off, there are two types of termites. The most common is the flying type which is found in much of the United States. This type is known to have wings and will often be found inside homes and near moisture. The other type is most common to southern California and only infects dry wood.

One of the most common and obvious termite signs is wood damage. However, this can often to be hard to find as most of the wood inside a house is behind walls or underneath flooring. You may have to do some investigative work on your own by creating a hole in a wall to see inside. A good place to start looking is a basement or crawl space. If you notice thinning of drywood or hollow spots these could be warning signs that termites have infested the area.

Another alternative is to inspect for wood shavings or termite droppings on the floor along your baseboards, as often this will indicate the presence of termites.

Another sign of termites is often called "mud tubes" which are actually thin tubes or trails of dirt or mud which can be visible in cracks or in the soil. Termites create these tubes or tunnels so they can travel safely from place to place and have enough moisture to stay there. If you notice these tubes of dirt or mud you should definitely think about looking inside a wall.

Of course, seeing live termites is a sure sign that you have an infestation. Termites look like microscopic light colored ants. They are very small and white in color. The flying termites will often have wings attached to their body.

Lastly, you can help take extra precautions by taking a look outside of your house in areas very near to the foundation. If you have areas of trees that are hollowed out or thinning, this could be a sign of termites. As well, if you see mud holes in the soil or garden area you may want to begin looking inside your home for other signs.

 

Do You Have Termites?

 

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Termite Control In The Home

If you see the following signs in your house, you might have termites: sawdust-like droppings; dirt or mud-like tubes or trails on the structure;. damaged wood members (like window sills); and swarming winged insects.

Termites And Other Pests

If you can get into the roof-space to check it, do so. Pungent smells and droppings will be evidence of vermin and other pests. You might also pick up evidence of rotten timber that may be an indication of termites or borer.

The Seven Basics About Termites

When termite tunnels become cluttered with frass (droppings), termites make small holes in the surface of the wood so that the frass particles can drop out.

Termite Damage – What Exactly To Look For

Also discarded wings, bubbling or cracked paint of termite droppings are signs of infestation. Once you are certain what you are searching for, it is easy to find out if your house has been damaged due to termites or not.

How to Identify Termite Droppings

Finding termite droppings in your home can be devastating. Termites are very small, making them difficult to detect.

How to Kill Termites Yourself

How to kill termites yourself with bait sticks and sprays. The bait sticks in question that you see him using (these have become the default favorite method of eliminating termites in North America) are these: Spectrum Terminate.

How To Get Rid Of Termites

Want to know how to get rid of termites? Discover methods for prevention, baits and poison, and extermination.

 

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The termite subterranean variety is a termite that lives underground or in very moist and secluded areas above ground and can be found in both the Eastern and Western parts of the United Sates. They often have several million members in their colony.

These termites are distinct in that they build structures that look like mud tubes. They create these mud tubes so that the worker termites can easily reach food and protect themselves from open air. That is why when these pests are found by homeowners they soon will need some type of subterranean termite treatment.

As with most termites they feed on cellulose. It is in the spring when Formosan subterranean termites swarm and also when groups of swarmers go off and begin starting  new colonies.

What separates this termite species from others, like the drywood, is that they need soil to survive and live underneath the ground. They have the ability to build tunnels through cracks in concrete and that is one of the main reasons why this type of termite is the most destructive and damaging to buildings.

They have the ability to take down an entire building and are quite adaptable to their surroundings. They have jaws that are extremely sharp; so sharp that they act like bite-sized shears and are able to bite off tiny pieces of wood, one bite at a time.

So, before extensive damage occurs to your home or business building it is a good idea to put in place some time of termite control and prevention plan.

To prevent this pesky pest from destroying a building one must keep any water from accumulating near the building. Water can be diverted away from a home by ensuring that there are downspouts, splash blocks and gutters that are functioning well.

In addition, if you use mulch, ensure that it is not in contact with the foundation of the home. It is also important that the exterior wood of the home be at least six feet above the ground. Make sure that the soil and mulch be pulled away from the home in order to protect the wood from contacting the ground.

One way to get rid of the subterranean termite is by using a soil treatment. This is where you treat the soil under your home and all around the structure.

It is suggested to use a liquid spray when working this method. Examples of liquid sprays for this kind of control are Termidor SC or Premise 2 Termiticide. This kind of treatment should begin from the outside and work toward the inside because the termites make their entrance from the outside. This type of termite prevention is extensive and time-consuming and is often best left to professional exterminators.

Underground Bait Hit

Additional Information From The Web

Apt Pest And Termite Control

For example, a predominant method for likely pest termite control are bait traps. These are ideal for little or new colonies. Essentially, worker termites challenge the trap plus its slow acting out poison gradually spreads.

Termite Farmers

Worker termites then gather fungus and plant it in the opening of the combs. Later they place chewed wood particles on the fungi. The wood is then digested by the fungus and turned into carbohydrates that flow out the bottom of the comb.

New Assay Helps Track Termites, Other Insects

An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) developed method to safely and reliably mark termites and other insects over vast acreage so their movements can be tracked is just as effective as the previous method-and more affordable. That’s according to recently published research by ARS entomologist James Hagler. 

Top 7 Tips to Spot Termite Damage

If you see termites in your home, it is very likely that a termite infestation has already occurred. Look for insects that are white in color and do not have wings. Worker termites are usually well hidden in wood.

What Every Homeowner Needs To Know About Subterranean Termites

Soldier and reproductive termites fall in between and help support the entire system with the former fighting off predators such as ants. Worker termites, the last group, consume wood and provide food for the rest of the termite colony.

Insect of the Day: Eastern Subterranean Termites

Whether a termite remains a worker or becomes a specialized soldier can occur as late as the third moult of the insect. However, whether a termite is going to be a reproductive or not is usually determined as early as the initial moult.

Termite Detection and Control with Termite Stakes

The wood in the termite stake is replaced with a wood block treated with termiticides or insect growth regulators. These are slow acting pesticides that do not kill a termite immediately.

The Differences Between Dampwood and Drywood Termites

Another difference between the two is that drywood termites do not have “worker” termites in their colonies. Younger reproductive and soldier termites serve as workers until they reach maturity.

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