Signs of a Termite Infestation

Dealing with termites is a real problem for many homeowners. They are a pest that causes a serious amount of damage to homes each and every year. A big problem people seem to have with termite infestations, in general, is they are not sure what to look for.

Termites are small pests that seem to stay hidden and out of sight really well. They are most likely living in the walls of your home or a dead tree around your property. That means that you can’t see them like you can many other pests. One of the best ways to protect yourself from potential termite damage is to know what the signs of an infestation are.

Signs You Can Look For When Dealing With Termites

1. Termite Mud Tubes

When you are suspecting termites in or around your home one of the things that you can look for are mud tubes.

These are the tunnels that a subterranean termite will use to get from the soil to the walls of your home. They look like small lines of dirt that usually start in the soil and go up the side of the wall near the foundation. Mud tubes don’t look very disastrous but they are the gateway to the wood-eating termites entering your home.

If you are seeing them, you need to contact a pest control company that specializes in termite control immediately. It means the termites are already in your home.

2. Termite Swarmers (AKA Alates)

Once you are out of the cold of winter and ready for the spring weather so are the termites. Termites are ready to come out when the weather warms up. Reproductive termites AKA swarmers or alates have wings and take flight. They fly off looking to reproduce and also looking for the next place to call home.

These swarmers want a spot to build a colony and that can easily be in the walls of your home. They are ready to build a new colony and start reproducing to extend the amount of termites. If you start to see a swarm of termites flying around your home or property, you need to have a termite inspection completed.

3. Termite Wood Damage

If you believe you have termites, you can do some wood inspections to check. Termites are a pest that eats away at the wood around your home. That can be in the walls of the home and the structure.

It can also be in a pile of firewood or a tree that has died near your home. If you want to check a piece of wood, a visual inspection is not enough. The wood is eaten from the inside out and that means that you need to check the thickness of the wood by knocking on it. If you hear a hollow sound it could be due to termite damage.

4. Termite Frass

his is the word that is used for termite poop. The termites eat wood all day long and that means their feces will look a lot like the wood they eat. It will be pale but look like sawdust which is part of the wood. The feces will build up around the entrances they are using to get in the home.