Subterranean termites are the most damaging insect species in the US, causing damage to buildings to the tune of billions of dollars each year. As such, it’s important to know as much essential info about these pests as possible, so that you can avoid an infestation, or at least lessen the damage they can do to the home.
What are subterranean termites?
Subterranean termites build their colonies underground. This allows their colonies to grow to millions of members, and infest multiple pieces of wood at the same time. It is also why these termites are so damaging – by the time they find a piece of wood, they have as many workers as needed to start fully exploiting that wood.
The fact that they are underground also gives them a degree of protection against more conventional pest control methods, such as direct applications of termiticides, and different, more ingenious methods have to be used to get them under control.
What are the signs of a subterranean termite infestation?
There are two main signs that you have a subterranean termite infestation: mud tubes and swarmers. Mud tubes are used by subterranean termites whenever they need to travel outside of their colony, so if they have to go over concrete to reach wood, they will build mud tubes from the ground, over the concrete and to the wood. Seeing these mud tubes is 100% confirmation that you have an infestation, and that you should call over a pest control pro.
Swarmers are reproductive termites. They are basically termites with wings that leave a mature colony in order to mate and start a new nest. If you find these swarmes inside the home, odds are very high that you have an infestation. You may also notice that the wood inside the home starts to look water damaged, or that the paint on a wooden surface starts to bubble. Unfortunately, if these signs are visible, it means that the damage to the wood is extensive, and that the infestation has been ongoing for a while
How to prevent and control subterranean termite infestations?
The best prevention and control methods against subterranean termite infestations need to be implemented by a professional. If you would like to know more information about these methods, or if you have a subterranean termite infestation in your home that needs to be removed, contact us today.