All pests are general annoyances, but some insects like termites can cause significant damage. Termites destroy the wooden structures in your home by seeking out cellulose.
Termites are not an easy pest to identify as they spend most of their time burrowing through wood. Some termite species create mud tubes that connect to underground colonies, but drywood termites remain inside the wood they consume.
If you’re unfamiliar with the signs of an infestation, these pests could tunnel through your home undetected for many years and cost you thousands in property damage!
At proof., we know your home is an important investment, and we want to help. Check out our article to learn more!
What are Drywood Termites?
Drywood termites do not need constant contact with moist soil like subterranean termites. While other termite species require moisture to survive, these pests are sustained by the wood within your house. They will typically stay inside the wood they consume and only exit their nest during mating seasons.
If you suspect a termite infestation, you may see one of these pests crawling around your home. Of the types of termites in an average colony, you’ll typically spot workers, soldiers, and winged alates.
Workers
Worker termites complete most of the tasks for the colony by foraging, taking care of the queen, and looking after adolescent termites. Like most other termite species, the workers are a pale white color.
Soldiers
Soldier termites are easily distinguished by their large heads and mandibles. Unlike the worker termites, their primary job is to protect the colony.
Termites have a few natural predators. Ants, spiders, birds, and wasps will eat termites, but ground-dwelling termites have to contend with these threats more than those that stay within wooden structures.
If a termite colony is threatened by any of these enemies, soldier termites will alert others and begin to defend their homes.
Reproductive Alates
Alate termites have wings and perform reproductive duties for the colony. While a solitary queen primarily gives birth to new termites, the alates will leave during mating season and begin new colonies.
Drywood termite queens can live for many years, producing numerous offspring that can then form new colonies of their own. If left untreated, a termite infestation could slowly take over your home’s wooden structures.
Signs of Drywood Termites
While termites can be tricky pests to spot, here are some signs that indicate you have a problem.
Droppings: Also called “frass,” droppings could signal that there are termites in your home. Termites tend to remove their waste from their nests. If you spot these small pellets around your home, there is probably a nest somewhere inside your floor or walls.
Hollow Wood: If you knock on wood in your home and it produces a hollow noise, termites could have eaten through the inside of the structure.
Visible Wood Damage: While termites typically tunnel through the interior of wood, you may notice an impact on the wood’s surface. The wood may start to mimic the appearance of water damage and bend or splinter. If you suspect that you have termites, it’s essential to identify the source of the damage to rule out other potential causes.
Termite wings: As they exit the nest and search for new nesting locations, alates will shed their wings. Alates only exit long-established colonies, so you may have a large presence of termites in your home!
How to Treat Drywood Termites
When you have termites, quick action will protect your home from further damage. Here are some tips that will help you combat annoying indoor termites!
Repair Home Damages
After you spot the signs of termites, begin looking around for any areas with visible damage. Try to locate open gaps or crevices that may allow pests to enter your home.
By sealing or repairing cracks, you can help prevent future termite infestations and keep other insects out.
Try Using Bait to Cull Drywood Termites
Because these termites tend to remain inside wood, you may have some trouble persuading them to leave their colonies. However, you can attempt to apply bait around areas where you have spotted droppings. Because these pests don’t live underground, you cannot easily apply these treatments in your yard. However, you do have options.
Wet two pieces of cardboard and apply bait to the inside. The termites will flock to the bait and the cellulose in the damp cardboard. As they try to eat through the substances, they will become trapped. While this may not eliminate all of the termites, you can still make a dent in their populations.
Check out this article to learn more about this trap and other methods to eliminate different types of termites that may invade your property.
Contact a Pest Control Agency
Termites are a difficult pest to control with at-home remedies. Because they stay inside the wood in your home, you may not be able to get rid of their populations without specialized treatments.
If you have a significant problem, you could have to remove portions of your walls or flooring to reach the colony. Pest control companies can complete these procedures and minimize the amount of potential damage to your home.
When you have termites, contact proof. pest control! Our qualified technicians know how to spot the signs of a termite infestation, and we can safely treat the pests in your home. With our residential termite treatment, we will ensure that all termites are eliminated from your property in no time.