How Do You Get Termites? (It’s NOT What You Think…)

Everybody hates insects, especially those who make colonies in just few hours. Termites, for example, are some of the fastest insects in reproduction, and they, clearly, can dispose of your home and garden to deterioration.

So, if you are interested in the beauty of your home and the comfort of your family, you must be reading this article to know the reasons for getting termites and some ways to evade their infestation.

But first,

You need to know about the types of termites:

  • Formosan termite: also called the super-termite, this particular type of termite is well known by its damaging power. A single colony of Formosan termites (several million individuals) is capable of consuming around 13 ounces (around 400g) of wood a day. It is considered the most destructive and invasive termite.
  • Eastern subterranean termites: this one is the most common termite in North America. Well known by its silent destructive behavior, a mature colony of subterranean termites is a serious threat to wood structures.
  • Drywood termites: as its name “Drywood” suggests, this type of termite infests dry wood with no need of important moisture, which makes it the most dangerous species of termites in high temperature and low moisture.
  • Dampwood termites: Dampwood termites, not like subterranean termites, do not, necessarily, have contact with the soil, which makes it harmful for wooden houses and a lot more invasive for decayed wood.

Many other types of termites exist but we are only providing you with the most common domestic termites so you can have an idea about what can invade your wooden buildings.

But why would they infest your home?

Table of Contents

The main reasons you may have termites:

Besides decaying wood and mud tubes, having termites damage your home is related to several other reasons, and you need to know about them so you can mitigate your termite threat.

  1. High levels of humidity: if the sunlight doesn’t have a total view on your house every day, humidity level will be more important and you may get some wet places, therefore, termite workers will start infesting these places and making colonies.
  2. A lot of wood: who doesn’t know that wood is the home of termites, I mean they find the safest shelter in wood; it provides food for them and helps them to form other colonies. Therefore, regular control of the structure of your house is necessary to check if there is a termite infection somewhere in wooden structure.
  3. Foliage and mulch: the leaves of a green plant can be an important cause of termites. Mulch and foliage attract termites and conserve moisture which gives the termites ideal conditions to reproduce and grow.
  4. Humid air: having humid air in your house is a principal reason of having termites, because these insects love moisture and humid air conserves it, and then it helps them form the most dangerous colonies to destruct your house in few months.
  5. Direct contact of wooden structure and the soil: if your home structure is made of wood and it is directly contacting the soil, then it is evident that subterranean termites will invade your house through fibers inside the woods.

These reasons are mainly the cause of having termites in your building and if you are a homeowner, you will need to learn how to prevent such pests. Therefore, it is necessary for you to know a bit about and recognize evidence of termites infestations.

Signs of having termite infestations and identification techniques:

Termites can be dangerous insects which expose your house or business to many to damage or even total destruction.

Many people have reported they have left their houses since termites have, totally, destructed their basic constructions. So, termites can be very dangerous and you should make every effort to ensure you or a professional is likely to detect termites earlybefore they cause serious damage.

Our team brings to you some techniques to use which will, hopefully, protect you from termites and help you detect if there are active termites in your house.

  • Damaged wood: Subterranean termites always leave behind some clues that they really exist in your home. Whether this type exists underneath the ground, it is ravenous toward wood, and it leaves important damage in the wood, especially, having contact with the soil.
  • Mud tubes: The same kind of termites (subterranean) build a sheltered pathway to the wood they consume, it is commonly called a “mud tube” but sometimes nicknamed a “shelter tube,” as it provides a protected path to wood for termites.

Mud tubes are, generally, made of grains of soil, wood, and debris.

  • Frass or droppings: Termites, also, have to get rid of the wood they consumed, so they leave behind some remarkable droppings that look like piles of tiny pieces of wood. It is called frass, and it means there is a nearby termite infestation.
  • Mature termite swarmers: termites also have swarm seasons, where winged termite swarmers from mature colonies leave their current colony to establish new colonies via mating between male and female swarmers. These swarmers are, typically, larger termites that are easy to recognize: They are flying termites and are attracted to light and windows.
  • Discarded wings: termite swarmers shed their wings when they finish flying to their target place where they will form new colonies. As a result, piles of wings would be recognized in spider webs and in house niches.

These signs may help you know if there are termites inside of your house or in your yard, but, in order to limit the damage, you must get some working solutions to cope with termite infestations.

Some working solutions that may help you:

  1. Reduce moisture by repairing leaking faucets and replacing old wet gutters.
  2. Keep all the wood, either decayed or not, away from your house.
  3. Keep mulch, foliage, debris and green leaves away from your home and your yard.
  4. Remove the wood which has direct contact with the soil.
  5. Remove infested trees and plants.
  6. Aerate the rooms regularly.
  7. Always check wooden stuff to see if they are infested with termites.

Termites are easy to get, but hard to remove. To prevent getting termites by following these rules and keep learning how to deal with all types of these insects.

We hope your questions are answered!

Don’t forget to share the information with others, maybe you will help them prevent possible pests!

Additional Resources about How Termites Enter Homes

6 thoughts on “How Do You Get Termites? (It’s NOT What You Think…)”

  1. When I lived in Oklahoma, a lot of people got termites in their home and I always wondered why it was so common. However, that state really does have high levels of humidity and so now I know why. Perhaps people should stop planting trees near their houses so that their homes can be more exposed to the sun.

    Reply
  2. What a great article – very accurate. One of the main things we see with our termite control company in Dodge City, KS is the humidity problem. Kansas is already a very humid state, and most people don’t think to have dehumidifiers. In the heat of summer, typically in July and August, termites seem to come out of the woodwork, no pun intended :)

    Reply
    • Thanks for the compliment and for sharing your Pest Control companies experiences Aaron! I really appreciate you sharing that tip with all the readers here. Something to keep in mind everyone, if you live in a humid area try to find a way to dry the air a bit during the humid parts of the the year (usually summer). A humidifier will help reduce the risk of termite infestations, also air conditioning dry the air to some degree. Also, take care of any water leaks you have right away and replace any water damaged wood in your home As Soon As Possible! Wet wood is like candy to termites!

      Reply
  3. I had no idea that insects love moisture, hence humid air in your home attracts termites. My home gets really humid during the winter, and my wife is terrified of termites. To prepare for the winter season, I’ll take a look at my home and hire a termite inspection company to see what can be done to prevent an infestation.

    Reply
  4. You made an interesting point when you mentioned that it is a good idea to aerate your rooms regularly when dealing with termites. I would imagine that it would be important to make sure that the aerating chemicals aren’t going to cause damage to your home. I think that if you need help dealing with termites, it is normally something you should probably contact a pest control service for.

    Reply

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