Termites

Subterranean Termites

Drywood Termites

Since termites are a constant threat to your home, here are some things you
can do during the year to help maintain the effectiveness of a quality termite treatment plan.

What Can You Do to Help Protect Your Home?

Small steps make a big difference. Start by eliminating food and moisture
conditions around your home. These simple steps will deter termites, making
your home a less attractive target.

Eliminate Moisture Problems
 

• Repair leaking faucets, water pipes, and a/c units
   

• Divert water from foundation
   

• Keep gutters and down-spouts clean
   

• Ventilate crawl spaces
   

• Remove excessive plant cover and wood mulch
   

• Get rid of standing water on roof
   

• Keep all vents clear and open
   

• Seal entry points around water and utility lines or pipes

Remove Food Sources
 

• Keep firewood, lumber, or paper away from foundation or crawl space
   

• Get rid of stumps and debris near house
   

• Place screens on outside vents
   

• Check decks and wooden fences for damage
   

• Wood on your home shouldn’t contact the soil

Warning Signs
Some indications you may have termites include:
 

• A temporary swarm of winged insects in your home or from the soil around
  your home.
   

• Any cracked or bubbling paint or frass (termite droppings).
   

• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
   

• Mud tubes on exterior walls, wooden beams, or in crawl spaces.
   

• Discarded wings from swarmers.
   

  Subterranean Termites

  

   

  Latin Name:

  Order Isoptera

   

  Appearance:

  Four "castes" of a termite colony: workers are approximately 1/4-inch long, light-colored and wingless; soldiers have elongated heads with mandibles; supplementary reproductives are light-colored and wingless or have very short, nonfunctional wings.

   

  Habit:

  Live in colonies underground, from which they build tunnels in search of food; able to reach food above the ground level by building mud tubes; dependent on moisture for survival.

   

  Diet:

  Wood and other cellulose material.

   

  Reproduction:

  Different rates of growth from egg stage to adult depending on individual species; one queen per colony, which can lay tens of thousands of eggs in its lifetime, but most eggs are laid by supplementary reproductives in an established colony.

   

  Other:

  Termites cause over $2 billion in damages each year. Subterranean termites cause 95% of all termite damage in North America. Colonies can contain up to 1 million members.

Drywood Termites

 

Latin Name:

Genera Kalotermes & Incisitermes

 

Appearance:

Larger than subterranean termites, up to one-half inch long; no worker caste in the colony.

 

Habit:

Create colonies in wood, with no connection to the ground necessary; often found in attic wood; need very little moisture.

 

Diet:

Wood and occasionally other cellulose material.

 

Reproduction:

Nymphs pass through seven instars before reaching adulthood; sexual forms eventually swarm to form new colony.

 

Other:

Cause serious damage to structures, often long before they are discovered; piles of sawdust-like pellets are a distinct sign of infestation; not as widespread as subterranean termite; colonies may contain up to 2,700 members.