Among the many insects in the world, termites are the ones most feared by homeowners because they can literally eat you out of house and home.
Contrary to what many people think, these wood chomping creatures don't only eat wood.
They can also eat paper and books, and cause damage to insulation and filtration systems.
In a nutshell, if you have termites, you have a problem.
Termites usually come around the late spring.
In the earlier part of the season, the insects grow wings and begin "swarming" or looking for a new place in which they can start a new colony.
This helps the termites spread out, making sure that they find separate food sources and propagate as much as they can.
They're animals after all, and spreading themselves around is hardwired into their system.
Once they've found an area, the insect falls to the ground, sheds its wings, mates with another insect and begins a new colony underground.
Now, some people confuse termites with ants because some ants also tend to swarm at the same time that termites do.
The difference is that termites have white or silvery bodies.
Spotting a white or silvery ant near or around your home could indicate that you have an infestation problem.
It is your first indicator that you need to check your home for signs of infestation.
One clear sign of infestation is when you have soil based tubes on top of wooden walls or floors.
These mud tubes can be thick or thin, but they're width is usually no bigger than the size of a standard pencil.
The insects build them in order to protect themselves as they move from their underground colonies and through the house.
An exterminator may break apart these tubes to see if they find any cream colored worker termites.
Finding these means that the colony and infestation is active.
Not finding them could mean that the tubes are old and the colony is no longer active, but it could also mean that there are no workers there at the moment.
Not all termites will make these tubes, however, so the best way to verify a termite infestation is to still call an expert to check on the structure and see if there are any parts in the wood that seem weakened or hollow.
At the same time, it is important to check the books and papers, and other places where termites may find something to chomp on.
A severe termite infestation can cost thousands of dollars to repair, especially if the area they attacked is the foundation of the home.
To prevent any of this from happening, think about termite prevention plans.
You can build your home with treated wood, as well as plant termite killers in the ground.
Talk to an insect exterminator to discuss what preventive measures you can take today.
Contrary to what many people think, these wood chomping creatures don't only eat wood.
They can also eat paper and books, and cause damage to insulation and filtration systems.
In a nutshell, if you have termites, you have a problem.
Termites usually come around the late spring.
In the earlier part of the season, the insects grow wings and begin "swarming" or looking for a new place in which they can start a new colony.
This helps the termites spread out, making sure that they find separate food sources and propagate as much as they can.
They're animals after all, and spreading themselves around is hardwired into their system.
Once they've found an area, the insect falls to the ground, sheds its wings, mates with another insect and begins a new colony underground.
Now, some people confuse termites with ants because some ants also tend to swarm at the same time that termites do.
The difference is that termites have white or silvery bodies.
Spotting a white or silvery ant near or around your home could indicate that you have an infestation problem.
It is your first indicator that you need to check your home for signs of infestation.
One clear sign of infestation is when you have soil based tubes on top of wooden walls or floors.
These mud tubes can be thick or thin, but they're width is usually no bigger than the size of a standard pencil.
The insects build them in order to protect themselves as they move from their underground colonies and through the house.
An exterminator may break apart these tubes to see if they find any cream colored worker termites.
Finding these means that the colony and infestation is active.
Not finding them could mean that the tubes are old and the colony is no longer active, but it could also mean that there are no workers there at the moment.
Not all termites will make these tubes, however, so the best way to verify a termite infestation is to still call an expert to check on the structure and see if there are any parts in the wood that seem weakened or hollow.
At the same time, it is important to check the books and papers, and other places where termites may find something to chomp on.
A severe termite infestation can cost thousands of dollars to repair, especially if the area they attacked is the foundation of the home.
To prevent any of this from happening, think about termite prevention plans.
You can build your home with treated wood, as well as plant termite killers in the ground.
Talk to an insect exterminator to discuss what preventive measures you can take today.