Termite season is upon us and if you are unlucky enough to live in an area that has these wood damaging pests it’s time to brace yourself. You don’t need to have a stack of wood outside to become the victim of termites. Homes are all framed with wood boards that are perfect for a swarm of termites to feed on. Termites cause a tremendous amount of damage to home each year and the only sure way to treat them is with pest control services. When the weather starts to warm up many pests are coming out. One of those pests are termites and keeping your eye on any swarms flying by is a start in prevention and treatment. There are several signs that you can start to watch for starting this spring.
Early Signs to Look for When Inspecting for Termites
Termite Swarmers & Discarded Wings: These are the swarms of termites that you will start to see in the early part of the spring. After the weather starts to warm up the termites that are ready to reproduce are called swarmers or alates. They fly out of the nest in search of mating and a place to live. They need to find a place to build a colony and many people will witness these swarms flying by. If you start to see a swarm flying near your home it is best to call a professional to come out and inspect the home.
Termite Mud Tubes: The most common type of termite found in Worcester County, MA is the Eastern subterranean termite. They live in the soil in the ground and will use tunnels to travel from their home to their food source which is often in the walls of your home. The way you see these tunnels is by inspecting for mud tubes. Look along the base of your home for small lines of dirt that lead from the ground up the side of the house. These mud tubes are how the termites are traveling to your home and destroying the wood beams. They need the moisture that is often found in the dry wood and that is why they head back to the soil.
Termite Damaged Wood: Termites not only eat wood that is hidden in the walls of your home but they will feed on any exposed wood. That can be a pile of firewood near your home, a wood shed or even a tree on the property that is dead. You can take a look at the wood around your home to see if there is any damage to it. Termites start by feeding on the interior of the wood and eat their way out so you need to do some investigating for wood damage. You can tap on the wood and listen for hollow sounds. If you hear them, it can mean termite damage.
Termite Frass Droppings: If you have termites around your home you want to look for their droppings. It is called frass and looks like light colored pieces of chewed up wood which is what it really is. The frass will be built up around the area that the termites are living.
Termite Inspections & Control
Dave’s Pest Control offers thorough termite inspections and control treatment to help protect your home this spring season.