Three Tips to Tell if You’re a Target to Termites

Above is a picture of our house while being built. Wood. All the houses around here are primarily made of wood. The builders did a pretreat for termites before we moved in and it’s been a year now, so we had to re-new our contract. While it was pricey, it’s definitely worth it if you live in wood house!

This is a partnered guest post.

Termites are everywhere – literally in every state in the United States, save for Alaska. There can be millions of termites within a single colony, yet homeowners around the country still remain largely uneducated as to what they can do, in order to keep their properties safe from them. Not only are termites highly ‘efficient’ at chewing their way through walls, floors, and furniture, but they are also some of the most difficult to detect types of pests out there. That being said, there are plenty of signs to go by, when you’re trying to work out whether or not you are under threat of being besieged by termites. Read on to check out some early warning signs, which will tell you you need to start doing some damage control before it’s too late.

1. Seeing swarms?

Termites come out in swarms as soon as warmer weather kicks in. They will not survive very cold weather, which is why colonies will spend most of winter hidden underground, trying to make it into spring, and even increasing their numbers. Come spring, though, at some point between February and April, you might notice that your home and/or yard has come under the attack of regular swarms of termites. The swarms will come out as a sign that new colony members have reached the age of maturity and once fully developed, they will migrate to other corners of the property, in order to set up new colonies.

1. Look out for wings

As recently matured termites start leaving their nests, they will be morphing from one stage of evolution into the next. This means they will be ready to shed their wings, as they no longer need to fly, in order to move from one point to the next. Check out the corners of rooms for spider webs: if you’re seeing tiny termite wings either caught in them, or scattered across the floor or ground in small mounds, this means you are facing the menace of a termite invasion. Similarly, the home’s foundation or wooden windowsills can strewn with termite wings can tip you off that it’s time to call in your favorite affordable pest control team.

1. Check for tunnels

Aside from warm temperatures, termites also thrive in humid environments. This means they will usually be found underground, tunneling their way through the moist soil beneath your home’s foundation. If you suspect a termite invasion, go to the basement and check for small tunnels with visible ends, with a .25 to 1 inch diameter. Also check any wooden structural element, such as doorframes, window sills, and floor boards

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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