Where Bugs Meet Their Maker
Where Bugs Meet Their Maker
Because of the terrible structural damage East Texas termites can do, an infestation is one of the most serious concerns a property owner can have.
Termites are social animals that live in colonies that are well-organized and regimented, either inside or underground. They are most commonly found in woody materials such as trees, logs, and building walls. Termite infestations can happen at any time of year, posing safety, and financial danger.
A termite infestation can result in massive financial losses, costing thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars, or in worst case scenarios, rendering a home uninhabitable. The amount of the harm may sometimes be irreversible. DIY remedies are frequently ineffective and may not solve the problem. The best option for a termite infestation is a professional inspection and treatment by a trusted pest control company like The Bug’s End in Longview, Texas. However, these tips will help you determine if you have a termite infestation before having a professional come out. Continue reading to learn the five most typical signs that your home is infested with termites.
To begin, consider the following:
Termite Infestation: What Is It?
Termites are the most dangerous pests for the structure of your home on the planet, causing extensive property damage. Termites build nests in wooden constructions and live in colonies in the house. They vary in body shape and color depending on the type, ranging in size from 1/8 to one inch long. Because of their wings and antennae, they are frequently confused with other flying insects. Some termites, although not all, do have the ability to fly. Termites are reported to exist in over 2000 different species around the world. There are 45 kinds of termites in the United States, and they infest both residential and commercial structures.
Drywood Termites: As their name suggests, they don’t require much moisture and prefer to develop their colonies in dry wood. Wood doesn’t have to be in contact with moist soil for them to thrive. Humans are not bitten by these termites, although they do cause structural damage. Drywood termites are abundant in coastal areas and can generate an infestation:
Subterranean termites are darker in color and range in size from 14 to 1/8 inch in length. They require moisture to construct their nest, as they usually reside underground, where the wood is in contact with the mud or soil. Paper-based, cellulose-based, and plant-based items are all consumed by subterranean termites. They are the most common termite in the United States, and they thrive in humid areas across the continent like in East Texas.
Formosan Termites: They’re also known as super termites since they wreak havoc on buildings’ walls, floors, and foundations in a matter of days. Formosan termites are aggressive termites that build their nest above ground and are only found in the southern United States.
The main attraction of termite infestation for your home is going to be wood construction materials. Crawl areas leading to wood materials are a good food source for termites. Termites multiply in numbers in a matter of days, to the point where we call it an infestation. Even from the center of the area, they can extend out to 100 feet on all sides. In typically, it takes 5-8 years for them to cause harm to the house.
Infestation by termites can happen in two ways:
Winged termites leave their colonies to mate with swarmers, then land somewhere fresh, drop their wings, and form a new colony. The termites’ colonies grow in size as a result of the repeated reproductive process, which leads to infestation.
While the other termites look for food—wood in contact with moisture—create mud tubes, and expand their colonies—the other termites make mud tubes and develop their colonies. They multiply at a higher pace, making it easier for them to infest your home.
Termite infestations are typically caused by the following factors.
Water or Moisture
Moisture is the primary and most important attraction for termites, especially subterranean termites, because they construct their colonies in damp soil. They are to blame for the property’s extensive structural damage. Moisture is obtained by termites from the following sources:
Maintaining water flow and removing standing water are the greatest preventative measures to infestation.
Wood acts as a link between your home and the ground, allowing termites to move around and feed. The greatest place for the subterranean termite to feed and breed is wood that is in contact with the soil. Termites will crawl into your home if there is a connection between the exterior and the interior of your property. If you wish to get rid of termite breeding grounds, take the following steps:
Termites can get access to your property through any crack or fracture in the foundation. To get to their homes, these subterranean creatures construct mud tunnels inside the cracks. They also use the concrete cavities to get to their foraging. Swarmers can enter the house through any crack inside the doors and windows and establish colonies.
If you see any flaws or cracks in your house or wooden materials, apply caulk to seal them. Taking these precautions can protect you from the financial harm that a termite infestation can bring.
The Setting And Location
Living in a termite-prone area poses a significant risk and necessitates treatment. Some states’ surroundings encourage termite reproduction, like Longview, Tx, which has a humid and warm climate with ample rainfall. Termites are found throughout East Texas and throughout most of the United States; you can assess your home’s likelihood of infestation by considering the environment.
According to statistics, termites cost homes $5 billion per year in repair and control costs. Termite damage is not covered by ordinary insurance policies, and it is the duty of homeowners to protect their property. Homeowner insurance covers accidental home damage; for example, if termites tear through the wiring and cause a fire, the insurance provider may take steps to reduce the loss.
Termites are not known to cause disease in humans, despite the structural damage to the property. In some people, however, termite droppings may cause allergic reactions and asthma episodes. The home’s heating or ventilation system leads to the spread of dust and termite droppings. However, you are unlikely to get any significant infections as a result of the termite infestation.
If you detect termite activity early on, you will have a better chance of controlling or minimizing the damage. Although it can be difficult to spot the early signs of termites, a keen eye can help you notice them. Here are five indicators that can help you determine whether or not termites are present.
There could not be more evident evidence of termites than damaged or hollowed wood. Termites are feeding inside or beneath the floor, as shown by the blisters. The timber floor is exposed due to subterranean termite damage to the subfloor.
Termites gnaw through walls, floors, wooden paneling, and other materials to create a tunnel through which they can look for food. The wood deteriorates over time, becoming hollow and devoid of sound.
While tunneling, termites leave moisture behind, causing doors and windows to wrap and become stiff to open and close.
Termite tunnels are typically not apparent from the outside of the wood. They only show up when the wood has been harmed. Termite galleries and their presence without obvious evidence can be detected using a variety of devices available on the market.
If you tap the damaged area and it sounds hollow or papery, it means the termites have eaten away at the inside. Examine the ceilings, corners, roofs, and walls for cracks.
Subterranean termites are known for tunneling through walls and creating mud tunnels. The termites use the mud tubes as a shelter and a bridge to get from their colony to the wood they devour. Dirt, debris, moisture, and soil are used by termites to construct protective tubes. These tubes are simple to find near the house’s foundation, in relation to food sources like a tree or shed. Apart from the pencil-sized mud tubes that run the length of the walls, pinholes of mud may be seen in sheetrock ceilings, wood paneling, and other wall coverings.
You can perform a test to see if termites live in the pinholes. Scratch away the muck and see whether it can be rebuilt after a few days. Termites dislike the open air and a dry environment, so they create pinholes to restore a part of their habitat that has been mistakenly harmed. If the mud patch or pinhole disappears within a few days, your home is likely to be infested with termites, which can be extensive or severe.
Instead of eating foam insulation, Formosan termites tunnel through it in search of food. They can even build in the fascia boards in the interior wall or ceiling. The mud tubes may have been created by the Formosan termite to gain access to the leak ceilings or an above-ground moisture source. Because the termites have infiltrated the inside of the house and the wooden structure, this might be a symptom of a significant infestation. Following the discovery of mud tubes, professional exterminators begin termite treatment.
The winged termites known as swarmers are in charge of establishing new colonies. They’re about a half-inch long and have a back hue to them. In our homes, these male and female swarmers mate and proliferate in quantity. Swarmers leave their colonies and migrate to a new location in the spring or fall seasons. Because the swarmers may emerge in the morning or afternoon, you may miss out on viewing them. Swarmers shed their leaves as they mate. The heaps of swarmer wings can easily be located in your home’s foundation, such as window sills or doorframes.
The presence of termites can be determined simply by observing the swarmer wings. Their wings show that they’ve mated and started new colonies to infest your home. That’s why the majority of termite bodies are wingless. Termite wings are an early symptom of an infestation, and treatment requires professional pest control services.
Swarmers also construct mud and moisture-filled swarm castles to protect themselves. These could be 3 inches broad and constructed on the roofs and walls. If you break one of the mud castles in your house, you will witness the troops coming out to defend it.
Have you ever noticed how much sawdust there is in your home? You should be concerned because the existence of termites chewing away at the wood is indicated by the presence of wooden droppings. Drywood termites tend to keep their tunnels clean when tunneling into the wood. They force the woods out of their mud tubes, resulting in pellet mounds. Dry wood termites expel their droppings from their mud tubes rather than using them to build their colony. These fecal mounds indicate the presence of termites, which must be treated immediately to avoid serious damage to the home.
Water damage can cause the paint on the walls and roofs to bulge. However, it could be a symptom of a termite infestation because the termites fill the mud tubes with moisture. They consume all of the wood paneling and sheetrock’s outside cardboard covering without causing any damage to the sheetrock. It leads to the sheetrock pathways or submerged regions.
If the termite infestation is significant, the evidence will be visible once the old wallpaper is removed. If you have any doubts about the presence of termites in your home, inspect all vulnerable areas such as roofs, walls, wooden materials, and lawns for termites.
The presence of hundreds of termites indicates a serious infestation that requires professional treatment. To protect your property, you should have a professional from The Bug’s End pest control firm inspect your home.
