When it comes to repairs to your home, one issue can be attributed to a tiny insect – termites. These pests have a voracious appetite for wood that can lead to major problems and leave you with costly repairs.
Signs of Termites
There are several telltale signs that your home has termites setting up residence and are dining on it every day. The following are a few things to look for when doing a visual inspection.
– Holes: Check wood fittings around doors, windowsills, decks, steps, wood paneling, wood floors, doors, or any other wood-based structure for tiny round holes about the size of the head of a nail.
– Cracks: Check all areas for cracks in the wood. Termites eat from the inside out, so instead of holes you may see a series of dry cracks and crevices. Wood that has been eaten by termites is easy to puncture. You can also tap it. If it sounds hollow, most likely termites have been chewing away.
– Droppings: Check around wood areas for a fine powdery substance that resembles sawdust. This fine dust may be droppings from drywood termites.
– Mud tubes: If you see small tunnels, these are termite subways into your home.
If you see a large ant or two in your home, is it time to look for Ocean County pest control services? These big black ants are known as carpenter ants, and they could mean trouble for your home.
Carpenter ants don’t feed on wood like termites do, but they can still cause a lot of damage to it. These ants are experts at building homes for their colonies inside wood, including wooden structures. They also build homes in telephone poles, dead trees and other outdoor sources of wood. Their tendency to build nests inside homes can lead to tremendous damage when infestations aren’t treated.
Threats to Humans
In addition to causing costly damage to homes, carpenter ants can bite. Their bites don’t usually cause bad reactions, but they can be painful. Carpenter ants typically only bite when they feel threatened.
Carpenter ants can also cause trouble by going after food scraps in homes, which is part of their diet. These ants also eat plant juices, other bugs and fungus. Carpenter ants usually do their foraging during the night, although it’s possible to see them roaming around during the day.
If you have a problem with carpenter ants in your home, contact Allison Pest Control. With our Ocean County pest control services, your home can be free of ants and other pests throughout the year.