Termite season is in full effect! Would you know it if you had them? Do you know how to detect the signs of termites? This info will help make you a smarter homeowner.
WARNING: The following pictures may scare you and/or gross you out.
This is what termites look like
The most common termites we see around here live underground. Subterranean termite workers are often confused with maggots, ants and grubs because of their milky yellowish white color. They look like that because they’re normally not exposed to the sun. Termites eat wood, but have also been known to eat newspapers, books, cardboard boxes and tons of other things that would be considered made from cellulose of some sort.
The Subterranean termite colony will send winged scouts out usually in the spring when warm weather triggers them. They’re on the lookout for more food sources and ideal locations for satellite colonies. Seeing swarmer termites is usually an indication you have a healthy colony nearby.
Signs of Termites
Subterranean termites are called silent destroyers for a reason. Most of the time, you don’t even notice you have them until the damage has been done. Termites are one of those things where it’s like “Oh it’ll never happen to me.” and then when it does, you realize you had no idea the level of horrible effects these pests can
cause if they infest your home. But wait…here’s the kicker: termite damage is not covered by homeowner’s insurance.
Let’s brush up on what you can look for that will indicate how at risk your home is for attracting termites. Some of these things are reasons termites might be attracted to your property and some are actual signs of termites.
- winged insects with two body segments appearing near your windows especially in the springtime
- cracks in the foundation
- water leak issues
- clogged or overflowing gutters
- flood issues in basement
- mud tubes
- dead trees
- galleys excavated in wooden window frames, tree stumps, railroad ties, decks, stairs
- termite workers (the maggot-like ones) in your mulch
- wood piles too close to the house
- tree branches touching the house
- crawl space moisture issues
What Does Termite Damage Look Like?
Let’s look at what kind of damage these tiny creatures can actually do. This is what a piece of wood (imagine a baseboard in your house) that has been damaged by termites would look like: They pretty much pulverize it until it becomes so brittle that it just falls apart. Don’t let this happen to your house!! Mud tubes are a dead giveaway.
When is it time to call a professional?
If you think you might have termites, please let us help you! We know how terrifying an invasion like this could be. Termites are NOT a DIY pest. We have some awesome solutions for curing and preventing them. Check out our Termite Solution page!
