Termite Pest Control

Termites. The word is enough to strike terror in the hearts of homeowners. While many pests are nuisances and might carry the risk of disease, termites can actually destroy a home and, if not treated quickly, getting rid of them can be expensive, time-consuming, and burdensome. For those reasons, no homeowner wants to think that they have termites. However, the same reasons are exactly why homeowners need to be aware of the signs of termites, so that they can take care of the problem as quickly as possible.

Many people think of termites as a single type of bug, the term is actually a lot like the word ant, and it refers to over 2,000 different types of termites. In the United States, we have over 40 different termite species. They look similar to each other and are medium-sized bugs that range between ¼ inch and ½ inch. Their bodies are soft, and they can range in color from white to a medium-brown. They have straight antennas. The queens and kings look similar to the workers, but can be over an inch in length.

Most people do not identify termites by looking at them. Instead, termites are usually recognized by termite warning signs. These signs include cracked or bubbling paint, mud tubes, discarded wings, termite swarms, frass, or wood that sounds hollow. Mud tubes, just like their name implies, are tubes of mud that termites build to live in and may be found in crawl spaces, on wood beams, or on exterior walls. Frass is just a fancy word for termite droppings and is similar in appearance to droppings from other insects. Discarded wings indicate that some type of flying insect has recently swarmed. Finally, hollow-sounding wood indicates the possibility that the interior of the wood has been eaten by termites.

Termites are an equal-opportunity pest. They usually live in yards, but can invade the foundations of homes. They often enter homes through extremely small cracks, such as openings around pipes and wires. Termites like damp conditions and will be attracted to damp soil around a home’s foundation as well as damp spots in a home. They are also attracted to homes with food sources, such as wooden structures, firewood, stumps, and debris. You can reduce your risk of termites by eliminating damp conditions, not planting trees or shrubs too close to your home, moving excess wood away from the house, and sealing entry points.



If you think you might have termites, the pest control experts at Dynamic Pest Control can come out for an inspection. The correct approach to take depends on how extensive the termite infestation is, and they can custom-build an extermination plan to meet your needs.