Termites have been gnawing and wriggling their way through the damp, dark nooks and crannies of our planet for nearly a hundred million years.
From the Amazon underbrush to the attics of homes in Savannah, Georgia, these incredible survivors occupy every continent except the frozen tundra of Antarctica.
With their adaptability through varying climates and environments, termites are one of the most successful species in history. Their colonies can consist of millions of sterile workers organized around a fertile female queen.
Things To Be Aware Of With Termite Infestations
1) What are termites and what do they do that’s destructive?
Termites thrive on the organic material of plants called cellulose and they specifically prefer the form found in wood.
In forests and other natural habitats around the globe, the termite’s appetite for cellulose performs an incredibly useful function: breaking down and recycling decomposing plant material.
Termites in the wild are one of nature’s clean-up crews; but in areas populated by humans, they can be an enormous nuisance and a potentially expensive threat to personal property.
In neighborhoods where there are homes built out of wood, termites see breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s one thing for termites to assist in the disintegration of a fallen tree in the forest but it’s something else when they are munching on a structural beam in your house.
2) How can termite infestations be prevented?
A termite colony needs two things to survive: food and moisture.
Any attempt to prevent a termite infestation before it has a chance to start requires making one’s home inhospitable to termites.
That is why it’s important to schedule annual inspections by a pest control specialist and recognize the signs of an infestation.
Food for a termite is anything with cellulose. They are most attracted to dead trees and the lumber used in home construction, but termites can also munch on cellulose found in paper, cardboard, and even carpet.
A good place to start is removing stacks of newspapers and replacing cardboard boxes with plastic tubs in the garage. Outdoor firewood piles should be stored on a rack off the surface of the ground.
New construction techniques or remodeling benefit from the use of pressure treated wood, a process that preserves the wood and protects it from termites, decay, and microorganisms.
Existing structures that did not originally use pressure treated wood can still be prepped and treated with pesticide. Pressure treated lumber will provide years of termite prevention.
Moisture buildup anywhere in your home is not only attractive to a termite colony but can itself cause serious damage to your home. In addition to fostering the environment that will attract and support termites, moisture can lead to mildew and structural weakening.
Homeowners should inspect their entire home - roof, walls, and foundation - and repair any problems that allow moisture to enter it.
Although there are preventative measures that most homeowners can employ, nothing can take the place of a thorough inspection and specialized termite control. Qualified pest control experts will be able to identify issues on the property that may promote a termite swarm and suggest solutions that can effectively prevent an infestation or tackle an existing one.
The “Bait Barrier Plan” from Terminix is an example of a pest control service which combines an advanced baiting system with annual inspections to ensure optimum prevention.
With a strategy of attracting the termites to the insecticide, and away from a home, as well as thorough inspections of the premises, these types of pest control services are the best form of prevention for homeowners who live in termite-prone areas.
3) What are the signs that termites are in my house?
There are several signs homeowners can look for to determine if their home has been invaded by a termite colony.
The first and most important step is to be vigilant year-round by inspecting your house regularly. This is especially true for residents in regions of the country where termites are prevalent and during the spring and summer seasons when they are most active.
The following are indications that you may have a termite problem:
Shelter Tubes (mud tunnels)
Subterranean termites construct these earthen tubes out of soil, saliva, and excrement in order to protect themselves from predators while they work.
The tubes are dark brown, about the width of a pen, and appear on walls, beams, baseboards, or on any surface in the home. The tubes are covered roads for subterranean termites to travel from their soil habitat to the a source of cellulose - the wood or paper material in the house.
Droppings
The excrement of drywood termites is called frass. Mounds of tiny pellets that look similar to sawdust may appear near the termites’ entry point. The frass is a sure sign that there is a drywood termite infestation.
Hollow Wood
Signs that wood is currently or recently infested by termites may not always be obvious. Early detection of a problem can be difficult because termites burrow through the wood often without visible signs on the wood’s surface. Tapping on wood surfaces or probing lightly with a screwdriver can reveal whether the wood is solid or hollow underneath. In contrast to solid wood, a hollow sound or a screwdriver that easily punctures the wood will reveal a termite problem.
Discarded Wings
Termites swarm when they are reproducing, looking for a suitable place for a new colony. They shed their wings, which can gather on windowsills, screens, or wherever there is a light source that the swarming termites are attracted to. Note that the discovery of wings does not necessarily mean that a house has an infestation. However, it does mean that there is a termite nest nearby and your house could become a target for a colony.
Sounds
Termites have been depicted in cartoons as making chewing noises resembling a horse eating an apple. The truth is that the sounds from a termite infestation isn’t as far from Looney Tunes as you’d think. A termite colony can be heard as a “scratching” or “clicking” sound through the walls. Soldier termites will even knock their heads on the wood if a colony has been threatened. Dogs, whose senses of hearing and smell are very sensitive, are used to detect termite populations, as well as other pests. So, if you see Fido staring and scratching at something in the house you can’t see, he may have found a termite problem.
4) I have termites! What can I do about it?
If an inspection reveals that you do have termites, the priority should be assessing the damage they may have already done and the scope of the problem. Pest control companies like Terminix offer a three-pronged approach depending on the seriousness of the infestation:
The Bait Defend System strategically distributes bait stations to destroy the subterranean colony. This part of the approach attacks the nests that are outside of the home and lures new colonies away from the home.
The Liquid Defend System is a perimeter treatment that stops termites from entering the premises.
The Tent Defend System is a complete solution to eliminate all your drywood termites. When a home has already been compromised by termites, a full-home fumigation that requires the occupants to be out of the house for a couple of days is the way to go.
5) What is the best way to manage termites?
Homeowners living in areas where termites are prevalent need to be proactive and vigilant if they wish to prevent these invasive insects from entering their home. Part of that preparation is choosing the services of a professional pest control company who has the knowledge, experience, and tools to prevent future infestations.
The most comprehensive termite management plan focusing on prevention, treatment, and damage repair we have found at ConsumersAdvocate.org is from our advertising partner, Terminix. Their premier plan is called the Ultimate Protection Package.
If your home qualifies, all treatments and inspections are included, no matter how many times Terminix has to come to your house to deal with the termite problem. The goal of the Ultimate Protection Package is to eliminate a current termite problem and continue to do everything possible to stop another infestation from happening again.
What’s more, when a consumer decides to purchase the aforementioned Terminix plan, all termite damage repairs are also included. This benefit begins as soon as the homeowner starts making the payments, continues to do so in a timely manner, and schedules the annual inspections with his or her local Terminix exterminator.
There is no cap to the Ultimate Protection Package. This insurance and guarantee hybrid plan ensures that the consumer won’t be liable for covered damage.
If you want further information about pest control services, take a look at our Top 10 Pest Control Services.