Keeping On Top of Pests: Termites

Termites have a way of living within your home for months or even years without detection. There may be dry wood termites of subterranean species living in your home that you may not even know are there until they have done too much damage to your property.

For you to stay ahead of such situations, it would help if you carefully watched out for specific warning indicators before it is too late. These are the most pronounced indicators that there are termites in your property.  

Discarded Wings

Discarded wings are usually the primary indicator that you might have a potential termite problem. Termites exist in colonies, and as soon as they mature, those with wings start leaving the termite nest. Their sole purpose is to initiate a new termite colony. After they finish their job, they shed wings, which usually appear in piles.

This is the first sign that you have termites in your property. Quite often, you will find these piles of wings near lighting structures because these organisms are drawn to light. After you see these wings, it would be helpful if you contacted a termite control professional to help eliminate the problem immediately.

Frass (Termite Droppings)

Whenever you come across frass in or around your property, you can be assured that there are termites nearby. Dry wood termite species often prefer living in the wood. They feed on the wood structure as they move around the tunnels they create as a result. As they do this, they leave behind a trail of droppings, otherwise known as frass.

It appears as dark and powdery debris forming mounds will pellet-like structures. It is often found near the entry point for a termite nest, pushed out by the termites. They might take the form of wood shavings which could be misleading. Termite control professionals will immediately track the path of the termites to ensure that they eliminate any further damage from the invasion in such a case.

Hollow, Weakened Timber

As dry wood termites feed on the wood in your home, they weaken the structure leaving only a thin layer as the outline. Tapping on such pieces of wood gives off a hollow sound indicating that the wood has already been compromised.

Sometimes, the timber might feel papery when you touch it as well. These termites eat away at the solid wooden structure on the inside, which then tells you that it might be time to employ termite control tactics.