How to spot damage from termites

Video: Is That Termite Damage? Wood Rot Damage? 😨 How to Tell the Difference

Content

Steps
What do you need

Each year, termites cause significant damage to structures and crops in the subtropical and warm arid regions of the planet. Experts estimate that homeowners spend billions of rubles each year fighting infestation from these insects and repairing damage caused by termites. Early detection is very important in limiting the damage caused by termites, although it is quite difficult to do. Homeowners rarely see termites, which in turn live in underground nests and eat the wood inside the walls. However, there are ways to detect their presence. If you live in an area that suffers from an infestation of these parasites, follow the tips below to spot damage caused by termites.

Steps

1 Learn to distinguish termites from other domestic parasites. Termites are just one of several tree-eating insects that can wreak havoc on your home. Carpenter ants and some beetles also feed on wood. It is very important to determine which species of insects have entered your home so that you can build a plan to combat their colony. The easiest way to determine if your home is being attacked by termites or other insects is to take a close look at the insects themselves. Termites have a number of external characteristics that differ from ants and beetles.
- Worker termites are often pale yellow in color and are soft-bodied. Carpenter ants and beetles usually have a darker color and a sturdy exoskeleton.
- Termites have straight antennae, which is very different from the curved antennae of carpenter ants.
- Since termites are usually hidden from view, the type of infestation is easier to identify by the winged versions of the insects. When a termite colony grows large enough, winged termites emerge to form a new colony. This is called a swarm and is the only time termites come out in the open. Take a look at the wings of insects. Termites have two pairs of wings of the same size. In carpenter ants, the front wings are much larger than the rear ones. Beetles have a set of sturdy wings that protect a pair of fragile wings designed for flight. The solid wings are part of the exoskeleton, and during flight they unfold out of the body.
- Termites have no discernible waist along their segmented bodies. Carpenter ants have a very distinctive stalk that attaches the ribcage to the abdomen.
2 Look for other signs of termite infestation. If you look closely, you can see signs of a termite infestation, even if you don't see the termites themselves. Visible signs of the presence of a termite colony include:
- Tunnels that extend from the ground to the timber on the ground. When ground termites have depleted their natural reserves of wood, they will begin to move towards buildings. They do this by building small, closed paths or tunnels to provide safe access to the home. The tunnels are made of earth, saliva, feces, and other materials. Tunnels indicate that you have termite activity and that measures must be taken to eradicate them.
- Wood termites live inside wood structures, including structural beams, furniture, and wood floors. Due to the fact that they live inside the place they feed on, they are almost never seen outside the colony. Yet they leave traces of their presence. Wood termites push fecal pellets and droppings out of their tunnels and chambers. These woody mounds accumulate on the floor under the infested section of the tree.
- Carpenter ants also throw materials outside of their nests. These embankments consist of various materials and look like cone-shaped heaps along the cracks in the baseboard.
3 Listen to the clues. When doing periodic inspections of your home, take a large screwdriver and use it to hit sections of wood with it. If the tree looks hollow, it may have been damaged by an insect feeding on it. Inside your home, place a stethoscope or similar device against different walls. You won't hear termites, but when the carpenter ants dig in their chambers, they make a quiet rustle.
4 Inspect for damage. If you suspect a termite infestation, try cutting off a piece of wood at this location. Different types of termites leave different marks of damage on the tree.
- Ground termites eat softwood along the grain. After that, distinctive traces remain on the tree, which resemble honeycombs. It is very important to stop ground termites as soon as you discover their presence. One of the varieties of termites, Coptotermes formosanus, is especially voracious due to its huge number. A colony of this species can count over a million individuals. If nothing is done, these vermin can wreak havoc on homes, fences, and poles.
- Arboreal termites dig large sections by eating the tree along and against its grain. The damage from them looks serious, but not as bad as from the ground species. Colonies of arboreal termites usually number in the several thousand individuals and to reach this number they need to spend several years. And even when they reach this number, such a colony eats about 230 grams of wood per year.