Termites are known as the “silent destroyer’ of houses, as many homes have collapsed from termite damage. They are referred to as social insects as they live in colonies or nest with thousands living together. Since they eat mostly cellulose plant material, they are attracted to wood houses. They set up their colony and go to work on the wood in a home.

Wood eaters

Termites eat wood from the major beams of support down to the baseboard line of a home, and houses have literally caved in due to the damage that they do. They can be found at ground level all the way up to the attic. It is important that they are detected early and the correct procedures are done to get rid of them. The industry of pest control has created many various methods to control termites so the guide at Termites Help! can make choices that are often difficult easier to decide on.

Southern areas

In the southern United States, the three most common types of termites are:

• The Desert Dampwood Termite
• The Subterranean Termite
• The Western Drywood Termite

Signs of termites

Termites are usually found between March-May when they “swarm”. Swarming termites are usually a good sign of a mature colony nearby. They have female and male swarmers with the females eventually becoming queens. Termite mud tubes are another way to find activity. These are tubes that are built in order to protect termites. These are almost the only way to detect termites that often go undetected until damage is found.

Prevention

There are preventative measures that can be done to keep termites away. Some examples of preventative measures include:

• Wood soil contact needs to be avoided
• Proper drainage should be in place
• Mulch needs to be away from the house or structure

Periodic checks

It is advised that a pest control company checks your home occasionally for signs of termites.