Termite damage will make an area sound hollow or papery when you knock or tap on it. This is due to the interior wood being eaten away in part or in its entirety. You may also find cracks in the walls that don't make sense.
Look out for cracks, bubbles, and markings similar to water damage on your walls. If any of these indicators are present it could mean termites are eating away your buildings internal timber structure! Window and door frames are commonly built from wood, and are therefore a common target for termites.
In heated homes termites can be just as active in the winter as they are in the summer. During the winter months when termites are less active the most common signs of an infestation include: Mud tubes on the floors or walls. Paint that is bubbling and/or cracked – usually with frass coming out of the cracks.
Termite Colonies Are Huge!
Termites can reproduce extremely fast, this is the second reason why it's so hard to get rid of termites for the average homeowner. Some queens can lay several thousand eggs per day, which means a colony is constantly growing.
Termites never stop eating wood because they feed on wood to survive. However, it has been found that termites do not like the smell of cedarwood, geranium, tea tree oil, cinnamon, clove bud, and garlic oils. Termites have antennae to smell and communicate for the food source instead of a nose like human beings.
The season when termites are most visible – through swarms, discarded wings and droppings – coincides roughly with the Major League Baseball season (March to November). In warmer climates, termites remain consistently active year round.
Boric acid is often recommended for the elimination of termites. Boric acid is a natural pesticide and usually comes in the powder form. You can sprinkle it in the area of infestation or mix it with water to spray in the area. It might be best to use goggles, masks and gloves while spraying the acid.
Don't be fooled, the “termite season” is a myth. Once termites get into your home, they are active, 24/7, all year long, feeding on and damaging wood members with one objective in mind, increasing the size of their colony. Interesting termite facts: Termites damage approximately 600,000 homes in the U.S. each year.
A new colony may consist of approximately 100,000 workers, whereas an older colony can have over 2 million termites. With 2 million termites working in the right conditions, your home could be destroyed entirely in approximately two years.
On average, it can take three to five years for a termite colony's damage to become visible. At this point, the colony will have dealt thousands of dollars of damage. But, to get a better idea of how long you have, you'll have to be aware of the factors that can impact the colony's growth and rate of wood consumption.
If you didn't know what you were looking at, you might think that baby termites were white baby ants. They're very tiny, which makes sense because adult termites typically only grow to be ¼ to ½ of an inch long. These tiny termite nymphs are pale white to white, and they have antennae that point straight out.
While their appearance varies from species to species, here are some common characteristics that help distinguish termites from other insects: Small insects around 1/8–1/2 inch long. 2 protruding mandibles (jaws) 2 straight antennae composed of round, bead-like segments.
Termites in Ceiling
If you find a hole in your ceiling or wall, check for small piles of termite feces beneath or near the hole. Fecal pellets are usually very small and look similar to coffee grounds or pepper, although they can be different colors.
A commonly mentioned substance termites hate can be found even in your kitchen. It's vinegar!
White vinegar is another effective substance for killing termites and other insects. There are multiple ways you can use it: Straight.
White vinegar is an acidic solution that can penetrate the exoskeleton of termites, dehydrating and killing them on contact. To use vinegar as a termite killer, it is recommended to mix equal parts of white vinegar and water into a spray bottle and spray it directly onto any visible termites.
Experts view winter as the ideal time for termite treatment because of how predictable termite locations and activities are. If you plan to use baiting systems, termites are more likely to come across the bait in winter than they are in summer and spring.
Subterranean termites swarm during the day, particularly after rainfall. They're most active in the spring. Invasive Formosan termites swarm at night and are generally at their peak in the late spring and summer. Drywood termites are also active at night, especially around lights.
Workers and soldiers live approximately one to two years. Queen termites may survive for over a decade under optimal climate conditions.
For example, spraying some termites in your living room will force the entire colony to move to other less noticeable areas like your roof. You'll think you dealt with the situation while in fact, you're in even more danger. So if you spot termites, do leave them alone and let the experts handle them.
In addition to wood inside the home, termites are drawn inside by moisture, wood in contact with house foundations, and cracks in building exteriors. Different combinations of these factors attract different species. Additionally, geographic location plays a role in how likely homeowners are to deal with infestations.
The main weakness of Termites is Salt and Stabbing damage-type weapons like Mosquito Needle, Stinger Spear, and Arrows.