Termites need food, moisture and warmth to survive. Reducing their food source (wood) is the first step to keeping them away. Because termite colonies are often difficult to see, it is important to pay attention to the warning signs in order to catch a potential problem before it gets out of hand.
- Termite Droppings. These social insects leave behind their fecal matter near infestation points.
- Damaged Wood. Some termites leave wood grain behind after they have eaten wood fiber. So you will see a small trail of grain mixed in with soil.
- Mud Tunnels. To protect the colony from external dangers like weather and predators, termites build mud tubes made of mud, dirt, and saliva to and from a source of food. If you start seeing small mud tubes along your external walls, you have termites. If you start seeing them inside your home, you’ve let the termites really settle into your home.
- Hollow Wood. Walk around your home and tap on the walls to check for hollowness. If you’re ok with causing a little damage to termite infested walls, take a screwdriver and press it lightly into wood that may be infested. If it sinks easily into the weakened wood, you’ve got a problem.
- Discarded Wings. After termites swarm, or reproduce and find a new nest, they shed their wings. The little wings look like fish scales and are usually piled together like termite frass. Similarly, a pile of discarded wings doesn’t necessarily mean you have a termite infestation but termites are nearby and could end up in your home next.
Catching a termite infestation early on can save you stress and money. A bad infestation can deteriorate your home’s infrastructure dramatically, which can lead to a need for renovations. If you notice that your home is infested with termites, make sure you call us for termite inspection immediately.
