Knowing What Termites Look Like
Termite identification isn't just about knowing what termites are, it goes a lot deeper then that. As a homeowner who wants to prevent termites from infesting your home, you need to know the basics about termites.
Termite Facts
The most numerous class of termites is the worker termite. Worker termites have a creamy white color. They are responsible for gathering food for and taking care of the colony. These are the termites that cause the actual damage to your home.
Termites stay away from the light as well as open air. Rather they dig out into the soil and work their way up the wooden sections of a house by means of the mud tunnels they build. This explains why the extent of the destruction to properties remain undetermined until enough damage has been made. For some, they will only find out the existence of termites when the damaged areas begin to break, revealing worker termites. To be able to prevent considerable damage, it is best to search for signs that there is termite presence within your property.
Flying Termites
Termite swarmers are young king and queen termites. They are responsible for establishing new colonies. They tend to swarm on damp days in the spring and fall. Look for dark colored and winged insects flying around. Look closer if these insects have straight bodies and if they have four wings of equal length. If they do, then they are either coming or leaving your place. Either way, there are probably termites lurking somewhere.
Mud Tunnels
The presence of mud tubes is a significant sign of termite activity. When you find tubes of dried mud on the foundation of your home, or running up walls you should become worried. This is a sure sign of termite activity. If poked, the mud from these tubes comes off like grainy particles.
Damaging Effects
Sometimes it takes a long time before you find termites within your property, but when you do, a more extensive examination should be done. It is highly probable that there is more damage then what you are seeing. If left untreated, the damage will keep expanding and result in the collapse of wooden frames and surfaces.
Conditions that Encourage Termites
Conditions in the environment do not have anything to do with being able to determine the presence of termites. However, there are certain conditions that are favorable to them to infest your place. For one, there may be places where the wooden portions of the house is in contact with the ground. The ground termites are partial to moist soil, and if it is near wood, then their foraging just becomes easier. Check also for pipe leaks within wooden portions of the house as well as cracks in the foundation, which might invite the termites in.