Termites can hit your home in a number of ways depending on their type. There are three basic categories of native termites. All of them can destroy your home if you let your guard down. Knowing about the different types of termites will help you know where to look for them and how to spot damage. Here is more about the different types of native and non-native termites and their preferred way of invasion.
Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites are your classic termite species that live underground in large nests. These termites like to build their homes near a food source and tunnel through the ground to reach it. They create these tunnels to evade their predators. The nests get extremely large and complex and their inhabitants will destroy your home very fast.
You will see these termites flying around inside your home during high humidity or rainy weather. You may also see muddy tunnel-like structures traveling up your walls from the underground nest. These termites live all over the United States, including in the hot desert areas, though they are less common in the north.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites don't need an underground nest and make their home directly in the wood structures. These small termites are similar-looking to queen ants when they are flying around, but have a different color. When they invade, their feces, which resemble coarse sawdust, is seen near a wood source. Though they like dry wood, they tend to set up near a water source such as in kitchen areas or water heaters.
Dampwood Termites
Dampwood termites thrive in high moisture areas such as the rain forests of the Pacific Northwest. They like persistently damp wood to make their homes. They usually don't invade homes, though they can if they find a ready food source. These termites are attracted to homes with leaky pipes near the foundation or that have areas of rotting, damaged wood.
Non-Native Termites
In addition to the three types of native termites, several non-native species have also found their way into the United States. Some types, like the Formosan, are voracious and can destroy your home quickly. Alaska has no native termite species, though they do have a problem with carpenter ants which can also destroy wood.
Because termites can destroy a major investment like your home or business, you need to keep them in check. If you notice any weakness in your wood structure, or a lot of fat ant-like creatures flying around or crawling near your home's foundation, call a pest control company for an analysis.
For termite control services, contact a company like Kingsway Extermination.
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