As the weather continues to heat up, so do the activities of subterranean termites. These tiny pests are among the most destructive of all insects and can easily go unnoticed until their presence becomes widespread. The first indication that you may be dealing with a termite infestation is the presence of tell-tale signs. Luckily for homeowners, termites tend to leave plenty of signs and signals when they’ve taken residence in a home. If you spot any of these common indicators, act fast to protect your home from further damage and contact a trusted local pest control company for assistance.
Swarming Termites
At any point in the year, you could discover winged termites inside your home. However, these winged insects can also appear outside of your home in the springtime, when a new colony of termites is born. These winged termites are males and females looking to reproduce, and are often seen near windows, doors, and other openings. As soon as you spot a swarm of winged termites, it’s important to act fast. If you leave them alone, they’ll find their way into your home and reproduce. Left untreated, a termite swarm can quickly become a major infestation.
Discolored Walls
As termites feed on wood in your home, they excrete a sticky substance called “alarm pheromone”. This pheromone acts as a signal to other termites that danger is near. As a result, workers will leave the wood they were feeding on to follow the pheromone trail back to their colony. If a termite infestation is present in your home, workers will leave behind this pheromone wherever they go. You can spot this by looking for discolored sections of wall in your home, particularly around areas where your structure comes in contact with the ground.
Mud Tubes
Termites are mostly active at night and are rarely seen by homeowners. However, one of the most common signs of an infestation is the presence of mud tubes in your home. When feeding, termites will often create long, cylindrical tubes out of mud that they use to travel back and forth between their nest and the food source. These tubes are often found in wood or bamboo, but they can also be found in the soil around your home. If you spot a tube-like structure in your home, particularly in wood, bamboo, or the soil surrounding your home, you may be dealing with an infestation.
Image courtesy of Gold Coast Pest Inspector.
Dropped Mud Balls
As part of their natural digestive process, termites will often leave behind tiny balls of mud. If you spot these mud balls indoors, particularly near areas where your structure comes in contact with the ground, it’s likely that you have a termite infestation. As with other signs, the only way to tell if these mud balls are harmful is by performing a thorough inspection of your home.
Rotting Wood
Termites feed on wooden structures like floorboards, joists, and roof trusses. As they feed, they excrete an acid that breaks the wood down quickly. As a result, you may notice that certain wooden structures in your home have started to rot and break down faster than usual. If you spot rotting wood in your home, particularly in areas where your structure is in contact with the ground, it’s a good indication that you have a termite infestation.
Image courtesy of Zapem Pest Management.
Dark Escaping Solitary Termites
Solitary termites are pests that are often mistaken for carpenter ants. While carpenter ants live in large colonies, solitary termites live and feed alone. If you spot a few of these dark insects in your home, it’s important to take action quickly. These insects are not social like other types of termites, meaning they don’t create a colony and won’t be stopped by a single treatment. Instead, they’ll continue to feed on your home, cause damage, and multiply over time.
Conclusion
Many homeowners are unaware that they have a termite infestation in their homes until it’s too late. As the weather heats up, termites become more active and their presence becomes more visible. By keeping an eye out for these common termite signs, you can protect your home from a significant infestation and save yourself a big repair bill. If you spot any of these signs of termites in or around your home, act fast to protect your property from further damage. The only way to get rid of an infestation is by contacting a pest control company and having them conduct an inspection.
