Termites don’t seem like such a bad pest. After all, when you go to the zoo, you’ll see that animals like the giraffe have armor to sustain them from their predators. Hence, termites help and support the environment.
Therefore, when you find out that you have a termite infestation in your home, then you might feel a different level of anger than you did before.
This is why we’ve written this piece to help give you detailed information on the types of termites that you need to look out for. Below are the common types of termites found in houses to help you prepare yourself before moving forward.
Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites are a common type of termite that can be found all over the world. These termites live in underground colonies and can cause significant damage to wooden structures, including homes if left untreated.
There are several signs of a subterranean termite infestation. These include the presence of mud tubes, which are typically found near the foundation of a building, and the presence of discarded termite wings.
If you suspect that you have a subterranean termite infestation in your home or business, it is important to contact a pest control company located here to assess the extent of the infestation and determine the best course of action.
There are several methods of treating subterranean termite infestations. These include the use of baits, which are placed in the soil around the foundation of the building, and the use of liquid termiticides, which are applied to the soil around the foundation of the building.
It is important to note that termite treatment can be expensive, so it is important to take preventative measures to reduce the risk of an infestation. These measures include keeping wooden structures dry and well-maintained, removing any sources of excess moisture, and keeping firewood and other wooden materials away from the foundation of the building.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites are a kind of termite that lives in dry wood that hasn’t been treated. Unlike subterranean termites, dry wood termites don’t need soil to live. This makes them especially dangerous because they can get into any untreated wooden structure.
There are a few ways to tell if you have dry wood termites. There may be discarded termite wings, piles of feces pellets, which look like small hexagonal pellets, and tiny holes in the wood. The holes are usually the size of a pencil lead and are caused by the termites tunneling through the wood.
Infestations of dry wood termites can be hard to get rid of because the termites can hide for a long time. One way to get rid of termites is to fill the infested building with a gas that kills them.
Another way to get rid of termites is to kill them with heat or cold. It’s important to keep in mind that treating dry wood termites can be expensive, so it’s important to take steps to avoid an infestation.
Dampwood Termites
Dampwood termites are a type of termite that likes to live in wood that is damp and rotting. Most of the time, these termites live in places with a lot of moisture, like the coast and the Pacific Northwest.
There are several signs that termites are eating damp wood. Some of these signs are small holes in the wood, frass, which is termites’ waste, and mud or soil in the wood. Dampwood termites can live in trees, logs, and wooden structures inside and outside of the home.
Infestations of damp wood termites can be hard to get rid of because the termites can hide for a long time. One way to treat it is to get rid of the infested wood and replace it with wood that has been treated. A liquid termiticide can also be used to treat the area where the bugs are.
Formosan Termites
Formosan termites are a type of subterranean termite that is known for eating wood quickly and destroying wooden structures quickly. These termites are from China, but they have been brought to other places, like the United States.
People know about Formosan termites because of how they eat and how fast they can destroy wood structures. They can do serious damage to a house in just a few months, while other kinds of termites can take years to do the same. Formosan termites can do a lot of damage to your home, so it’s important to find them and get rid of them as soon as possible.
Formosan termites can be stopped by keeping wooden structures dry and well-kept, getting rid of any sources of extra moisture, and building with treated wood. It’s also important to check wooden structures often for signs of termite damage and to call a professional if you think you might have a termite problem.
Conehead Termites
Conehead termites are a type of termite that lives in the Caribbean but has been found in some parts of Florida. Other types of termites build their nests underground, but these termites are different because they build big nests that are easy to find above ground.
Conehead termites make big nests that are easy to find on the surface. Most of the time, the nests are in trees or other wooden structures, and you can tell where they are by the big cone-shaped mud mounds that surround them.
The termites don’t make mud tubes to get from their nests to where they find food. Instead, they look for food on the ground and on wooden structures.
Desert Termites
As their name suggests, desert termites live in dry and mostly dry places all over the world. On the other hand, other kinds of termites live in a wide range of places. Desert termites are different from other types of termites in many ways, but the most important ones are how they act and how they change to fit their environment.
One of the biggest differences between desert termites and other types of termites is that desert termites don’t make mud tubes to get from their nests to food sources. Instead, they dig holes in the ground and look for food above ground.
Protect Your Home From These Types of Termites
Overall, these are the common types of termites found in houses. Each type has different characteristics and infesting capabilities, so it’s important to understand the differences.
If you suspect you might have termite issues, contact an experienced pest management professional for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
We hope this article was useful to you. If you enjoyed it, be sure to check out our blog for more great articles.
