These silent pests wreak havoc worldwide. It can take years for the damage to show, but having termites under the house always leads to destruction. There’s a secret to identifying termites on your Fort Bragg property, but first, let’s discuss what termites look like and why they’re so destructive.
Termite Identification Tips
Termites are peculiar looking pests. These insects most closely resemble ants, but a few key features differentiate ants from a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Termites typically range between ¼ and ½ an inch in length. They range in color from gray to light brown, though many termites also have a translucent look and are almost see-through. Termites have sectioned bodies, six legs, and spiny antennae that are about the length of their heads. Some termites also have wings, these are called swarmers, or alates. These winged termites only fly for about 30 minutes when they first leave the nest to start new colonies. They then shed their wings and disappear into the soil.
Termite infestations often go unnoticed because these pests burrow underground. They then can create tunnels to chew through the wood in a house.
Signs Of A Termite Infestation
Because termites are silent destroyers, it’s important to be proactive about identifying an infestation. Here are the signs that you might have termites in your home, as well as the factors that attract them:
Clicking noises. If you press your ear up against your walls or floorboards, you might be able to hear soldier termites banging their heads against tunnel walls to warn other termites of danger.
Discarded wings. Swarmers shed their translucent wings once they’ve started a new colony, so if you see wings around your lawn, in the grass, or stuck in a spider’s web, then you may live above a termite colony.
Termite excrement. Also known as frass, these pests leave tiny wood-colored pellets around wooden spaces, from floorboards to window sills.
Termite pinholes. These are tiny holes that dry wood termites create on drywall or wallpaper when they eat through the walls.
Sagging ceilings, creaky floorboards, and weak furniture. These may be signs of wood decay from termite activity.
Discolored walls. This can occur from the moisture released by termite activity.
Wood-to-soil contact. Termites often burrow beneath houses that have a lot of wood-to-soil contact. If soil contacts the wooden structures of your home, you will benefit from separating soil from wood.
Excess moisture. Households with moisture problems also attract termites because moist and decaying wood is especially attractive to these pests.
Woodpiles. Having woodpiles and/or other wooded materials around the house is enough to pique a termite’s interest.
If you notice any of these signs of termites, it’s time to let the professionals intervene before these pests cause more damage. The pest control professionals in Fort Bragg at Mendo Lake Termite Control know just how to save your house from termites; contact us today for effective termite control services and we’ll protect your home from termite damage.