Advantage Termite & Pest Control Adelaide Fundamentals Explained

Last updated: June 11, 2018  Outside of all of the pests which homeowners face, you will find none that are as expensive and as damaging as termites. These insects feed on cellulose, the organic fibrous substance in wood and plants, meaning that they will literally eat your house, so youll need to get rid of them fast. .

There are two main techniques termites can come to infest your house (assuming they werent already there in the first place); by atmosphere and through the ground.

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A drywood termite infestation typically takes place when an existing colony sends out flying termite swarmers. Once these swarmers find a wooden crevice in your house, they shed their wings, split out a little nest, and begin laying eggs to initiate a brand new termite colony.

On the other hand, subterranean termites, whose colonies are underground, can enter your home via its foundations. As these termites forage for food, they could stumble upon a rich new food source your house. Subterranean termites commonly build mud tunnels over foundation walls to access the wooden areas of the structure.

Note: While you will find other species of termites, these are the two most common species responsible for the majority of the damage to individuals homes.

One of the main reasons that termites can be so damaging is that by the time that many homeowners find the infestation, severe damage has already been done. A termite infestation is similar to cancer; detect it early and chances are very good, catch it late and the treatment will probably likely be painful and intensive. .

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Therefore, it is extremely important that you learn to identify the signs of a termite infestation. Keep a watch out for the following:

If you find a swarm of winged termites near or around your house, thats a sure sign that a termite colony is nearby. Much like winged ants, these winged termites are likely to click here to read swarm around a light source. Additionally they seem rather similar, and also the layperson will not be able to tell them apart. .

Termite swarmers dont maintain their wings long. Once they lose their wings, they are in search of places to build new nests.

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If you notice small piles of discarded swarmers wings on areas like window sills, or caught in spider webs, then there may be a termite colony nearby; or one going to begin.

Mud tubes are little tunnels built by termites to transport food back to their colony. Source: masseyservices.com

Subterranean termites build mud tubes (occasionally known as guardian or foraging tubes) as links between their food source and their colony. These are produced from dirt, debris, and timber, and they help protect the colony against predators and conserve moisture.

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If you have a subterranean termite infestation, you will find these tubes in the foundations of your house or in its substructure.

As subterranean termites eat through the timber of your house, they create termite galleries. These are the empty i loved this spaces left in the wood as they burrow through it. Typically, termite galleries run parallel to the grain of this timber.

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Drywood termites leave behind their fecal droppings as they munch through the timber in your home. Their droppings, known as frass, are pellet-shaped, and seem like thick grains of sand or sawdust. Should you find mounds of termite droppings in and around your home, you likely have a drywood termite infestation. .

Termites will eat your home from the inside out; thats what makes them so insidious. A bit of wood could seem absolutely normal on the outside but be absolutely infested with termites on the inside. If you suspect a termite infestation at a certain area, tap or puncture the wood to find out whether its hollow.

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Coupled with other signs of termite infestation, swollen wooden floorboards can mean that there is termite damage underneath them.

Termites enjoy dark and moist locations. Thats the reason why they live just under the surface of the wood and bring in moisture into their termite galleries. This moisture can often cause the wood to swell. If you have termites in your wooden floors, the floors will probably begin to swell. Similarly, the moisture can also result in the paint on wooden surfaces to peel or bubble; especially if the termites have eaten all of the way up into the paint layer. .

As these signs are similar to the signs of general water leaks (since theyre either caused by moisture), be certain that you rule out any water flows first. In case you've determined that water escapes are not the cause, you can inspect further by seeing whether the wood is now hollow.