If you’re a homeowner, there may be no pest more threatening to your home’s stability than the termite. Although termites are tiny insects, they can do a ton of damage. For many homeowners, the thought of dealing with termites leads to a long list of questions. What do they look like? How do I know I have them? Should I be worried? What should I do?
There is plenty of information available online to answer these questions; however, you want to make sure you’re looking at a reputable source. That’s why Scherzinger has taken the time to round up some of our best articles and information available.
What?
Did you know there are different kinds of termites? And which kind you have influences how much time they spend in your home and how much damage they do. While we only have the subterranean termites in our area, here are the common types of termites found throughout the United States:
Subterranean termites
These are the most destructive termites in the United States. According to a study from Texas A&M University, they’re responsible for more than $2 billion in damage every year.
What makes them so destructive? Mainly, their ability to access your home virtually undetected. As the name implies, they live underground. They build their colony in the soil around your home and then tunnel into your wood frame, where they feast on your studs and other support elements. They can do this for years without being noticed.
Drywood termites
These termites are also dangerous because they actually build their colonies inside your home. Again, as the name suggests, they prefer to live in and around dry wood, which makes your frame a perfect target. They enjoy warm areas that have mild winters, so they’re common in Southern states and some parts of the Midwest.
Formosan termites
These termites are especially destructive because of the sheer size of the colony. They live in your home, behind your drywall. They build water reserves in the colony, which allows them to reproduce quickly and generate an army of wood-eating insects. Because of the colony size, they can do a lot of damage in very little time.
Dampwood termites
Again, the name tells you a lot about these termites. They like wood that is moist or near water. They’re often found in outdoor wood, like log piles or even telephone poles. When they are found in the home, they’re usually near kitchens or bathrooms so they can take advantage of the moisture in the area.
Learn more about the types of termites by reading: Important Facts About Termite Species.
When?
Spring is generally considered to be termite season, as it’s thought to be the time of year when termites are most active. That’s only partially true. Termites are actually active year-round, especially in warmer climates. However, they’re often most noticeable during March and April.
If you have them, spring is probably your best opportunity to identify termites. What should you look for?
Termite swarms
You may see groups of termites moving together in small, clustered colonies or massing in flight. These swarms aren’t dangerous, but they may be evidence that you have a larger termite problem.
Discarded wings
Termites often shed their wings when they form new colonies. You may find wings around your baseboards, on windowsills, or even in spiderwebs.
Damaged wood
A surefire sign of termite damage is wood that is chipped, rotted, cracked, swollen, or otherwise damaged. Termite-infected wood often looks like wood that has suffered moisture damage.
Learn more about when termites are active by reading: Termite Season?
Where?
One of the reasons termites are so destructive is that they’re hard to detect. They either live in the soil around your home or the wood behind your drywall. As mentioned above, you can look for discarded wings and damaged wood. Other than those signs, though, it may be difficult to find evidence of termites.
Another sign is something called a mud tube. This is a small tunnel that termites construct from mud. They use it to safely travel from the soil to the wood in your home. If you see a mud tube in or around your home, try tapping on nearby wood with a hammer. If the wood sounds hollow, it could be because termites have destroyed the interior of the structure.
Learn what else to be on the lookout for by reading: Would You Recognize Termite Activity in Your Home?
The pest library section on termites may also be helpful in answering your questions.
How?
Once you find termites on your property, the next step is getting rid of them. Every termite elimination strategy has three components: detection, elimination, and monitoring. The detection stage involves a thorough examination of your home and surrounding areas. We look for evidence of termite activity and then pinpoint the exact location of the colony.
In the elimination stage, we set up stations around your home. These stations bait the termites and then kill the colonies. We then monitor your home with inspections every 30 days in the short term and then every quarter on an ongoing basis. If termites are ever detected again, we repeat the baiting and elimination process. Detection, elimination, and monitoring – that’s a proven formula for keeping your home safe from termite damage.
Termite FAQs
#1 What do termites look like?
Although there are thousands of different species of termites, only a few cause problems in the Ohio area. The most common termite type in our area is the eastern subterranean termite.
This type of termite is small, about the size of an ant (hence the confusion between the two pests). The appearance of subterranean termites actually depends on their “caste,” or role in the colony.
- Worker termites have bodies that are pale and white to light tan in color. Their “waists” are fairly straight (as opposed to ants, which have “pinched” waists.) These termites have six legs and two straight antennae jutting out from a large, bulbous head. They measure less than an inch in length.
- Soldier termites have similar bodies to the workers; however, their heads are a darker brown, and they have what looks like pincers in the front. They measure less than an inch in length.
- Swarmers—the termites that leave the colony to reproduce and create new termite colonies—have a body that is brownish-black in color and have opaque white wings. Their front and back wings are both the same length and thin. Swarmers measure about one inch in length.
#2 How can I prevent termites?
Unless you live in a steel-fabricated building with no wood whatsoever, there’s no way to really make your home 100% termite-proof. However, you can make it less likely that termites will find and attack your home.
Here are a few tips:
- Keep wood from making contact with soil. Door frames should sit 6 inches above the ground, and wooden steps or posts should have a concrete base.
- Remove wood that is touching your home’s foundation. Cut back shrubs and trees so that they don’t make contact with your house. Also, make sure to leave space between your home and the mulch you put down.
- Get rid of firewood, stumps, and any decaying wood near your home.
- Eliminate excess moisture—which attracts termites—from around your home’s foundation. Fix any leaky pipes or gutters that don’t drain properly.
- Inspect lumber before using it in home improvement projects.
#3 My deck is made of pressure-treated wood. That means it’s safe from termites, right?
Pressure-treated lumber is wood that has been treated with chemical preservatives. Like the name suggests, the chemicals “preserve” the wood and delay the process of rot and decay. As a bonus, the preservatives make the wood resistant to termites.
But wait! If you read closely, you’ll notice that the phrasing is “resistant to termites,” not “termite-proof.” That’s important. Even pressure-treated wood can begin to rot if it’s damp long-enough, and that’s when termites can feed on it. In addition, you should know that any new cuts or drill holes made into the wood will eventually give termites an entrance, as the termites can get past the outer protected surface into the untreated wood inside.
#3 What are the signs that my home has termites?
Termites are a tricky pest. Since subterranean termites live underground and feed inside wood, it can be months or even years before homeowners realize their house has termites. And that’s a big problem: termites, individually, are small, but in a big colony and over a period of time, they can do some serious damage.
While it’s tough to spot them, there are a few clear termite signs (when you know what to look for):
- “Mud tubes” (the tunnels that termites build to travel) along the home’s exterior walls and foundation. These tunnels are typically ¼-1 inch in width and earth-colored.
- A “muddy” appearance on wood, which happens when termites “eat through” to the outer surface of the board. (It’s actually a mixture of soil and termite waste.)
- Piles of discarded wings, shed by swarmers after leaving the termite colony to mate in the spring.
- Bubbling or discolored paint (similar to water damage).
- Sagging or excessively creaky wood floors.
- Small holes in wood.
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped with a hammer.
#4 How did termites get into my house in the first place?
“Fun” fact: termite workers don’t even have eyes! Yet they’re still able to find homes to attack, as they are attracted to wood and moisture. They are constantly in search of food sources to bring back to the other members of the colony—and if they find one in your home, they’ll stick around to keep feeding on (aka destroying) your home.
After they stumble upon your home, termites can get inside through the tiniest of cracks: think cracks in your concrete foundation or in brick mortar. They then create their mud tubes (building as they eat) to reach all the wood parts of the home.
#5 Can I DIY termite removal?
Some pests can be eliminated using the DIY route…but termites are not one of them.
That’s because termite treatment requires specialized knowledge and equipment. When eliminating termites, you must be able to locate and eradicate the entire colony. If the whole colony isn’t eliminated, the termites will rebuild.
The vast majority of homeowners don’t have the tools or experience needed to get rid of termites, and that’s why we strongly recommend you call a professional if you suspect your home has termites.
#6 My home has termites. How do I get rid of them?
Call a pest control professional for inspection and recommendations. A professional will help you do the following:
- Determine the extent of the problem (and damage).
- Locate the termite colony.
- Create a treatment plan.
#7 Is termite control safe for children and pets?
If you have children and/or pets in your home, you want to make sure that pest control won’t harm them.
The good news is that, when you work with a pest professional, he or she will help you ensure that the pest control harms only the termites. A professional will use the appropriate amount of treatments when and where necessary, and will advise you of any steps that need to be taken to avoid exposure by children and pets. (Plus, treatments like termite bait stations come with lockable caps to minimize tampering by kids/pets.)
#8 Do Ants Kill & Eat Termites?
Do ants eat termites? You might be surprised to learn how many pests eat other pests—including, yes, ants and termites!
Why Do Ants Eat Termites?
Termites and ants are born enemies (though winged ants and termites are often mistaken for each other). When ant and termite colonies encounter each other, they turn hostile toward each other.
Termites eat wood and cellulose-based products (like cardboard). From their underground colonies, they can sneak into homes via mud tubes and devour the home’s wooden foundation, from the inside out.
Ants, on the other hand, are omnivores: they eat everything from plants to—you guessed it—termites! They will eat termites as a source of protein, for them and will also attack termite colonies to defend their territory. Ants have been known to raid termite colonies to try to eat the termites inside. Termites use their mud tubes, plus “soldier termites” tasked with defending the colony, to escape predation.
In fact, ants are perhaps the largest predators of termites. (Though ants aren’t the termites’ only predator: other animals that prey on ants include moles and birds!).
Will Ants Get Rid of a Termite Infestation?
Ants are a big threat to termites; however, termites have their own defenses. As we mentioned above, termites use mud tubes to escape ants. The “soldier termites” in a colony are a type of termite that has larger mandibles (like jaws), which they use to kill attacking ants.
Though ants will occasionally wipe out an entire termite colony, they’re not always successful.
Termite colonies can number in the hundreds or even thousands. If just a small percentage of male and female termites survive, they can move on to create a new colony and rebuild their numbers within a few years.
For that reason, you can’t rely on Mother Nature and the circle of life to keep a termite infestation away.
#9 Where Do Termites Come From?
Eastern subterranean termites are the most common type in Ohio, and, as the name suggests, they enter your home from below ground level—sneaky! Termites come from the soil, where they burrow tunnels in search of their favorite food, cellulose, a major component of wood. Termites also love moisture and warmth, so the combination of wet, warm wood is a huge draw for these bugs.
Subterranean termites often find an underground entry point into your home, but sometimes they build above-ground tunnels called mud tubes, which protect them from the elements and predators as they venture above ground level in pursuit of food. Sometimes these tubes are visible near your home’s foundation, so keep an eye out for this red flag.
#10 Where Do Termites Enter a House?
With subterranean termites, most of the action happens underground and out of sight, so you may not detect anything until termites have munched their way inside. Since you don’t have X-ray vision to see what’s going on, is there any way to block these dangerous invaders?
One strategy is to seal off potential underground entry points. When burrowing termites encounter your home’s foundation, they’ll search for cracks to go through. They can fit through fissures as thin as a piece of cardstock paper (1/32nd inch), so caulk and fill cracks in concrete, bricks, and mortar, as well as the seals to your plumbing and electrical lines.
For even more peace of mind, call us to learn about preventative termite monitoring and barrier protection.
#11 What Attracts Termites?
There are things you can do above ground, too. Just as Hansel and Gretel followed breadcrumbs through the forest, termites follow the food. Having termite food sources too close to your house is like laying out a welcome mat. So, remove any wood that comes in contact with both your home and the soil. Termites often make the jump from soil to these wooden elements of your home:
- Door frames
- Trims
- Decks
- Porches
- Steps
- Support or fixtures
Remember the three W’s: wet, warm, wood. That’s fine dining for termites. Here are a few more tips for eliminating those worrisome W’s:
- Drain any standing water near your house and fix areas where water tends to pool or oversaturate the ground.
- Don’t allow mulch, trellises, firewood, project lumber, old furniture, or decaying tree parts (stumps, branches, logs) to come in contact with your house.
If you’d rather have experienced eyes doing termite inspection for you, check out our Guardian Plus Program.
#12 Where Do Termites Nest in a House?
Because termites still nest in the soil and have to return to the colony every day, they take advantage of your home and use it as a food source. Where can you look for early signs that this is happening? While it’s not impossible to inspect a slab foundation for subterranean termites, all walls (internal and external) have to be inspected (not just the exterior).
#13 Why Do Termites Fly?
Why do some termites have wings and fly, while others don’t? Great question!
Termites are a social insect that lives in colonies. Within each colony, the termites are divided into groups (the workers, soldiers, and swarmers). Each group performs a different function. The workers forage for food, take care of the young, and build the colony structures. The soldiers protect the colony. Finally, the swarmers are the reproductive members of the colony.
When the colony reaches a certain size, the termites establish a new colony by sending their swarming termites out. These termites’ only purpose is to mate and establish a new colony. After mating, the swarmers shed their wings and move to create their colony underground.
The swarming of termites generally happens during early spring.
Seeing swarmers near or in your home is a very good sign of a nearby termite infestation. (That’s because swarmers aren’t good fliers. Unless they are carried by the wind, they don’t fly too far from the original colony.)
Often, swarmers inside homes can be found near window sills and in open areas. (They’re attracted to the light from the windows.) Many homeowners find out they have termites after finding swarmers or their discarded wings near window sills.
#14 Does Orange Oil Work on Termites?
Orange oil isn’t a fruit juice: it’s the extract processed from orange peels. This citrus oil can affect pests because it contains D-limonene, a compound that kills pests by breaking down the waxy surface of their bodies. D-limonene can also act as a pest repellent.
For that reason, limonene is registered by the EPA as an active ingredient in a number of pesticide products, including insecticides, insect repellents, and dog and cat insect repellents.
While limonene is a known pest control ingredient, that doesn’t mean that orange oil is completely effective. Whether or not this essential oil actually eliminates termites is still up for debate. A few studies have investigated orange oil’s effects on termites and found that it does kill some termites, with one UC Berkley study showing a 77 percent kill rate.
However, Orange oil isn’t 100% effective against termites, and that’s a big problem. In order to truly resolve a termite infestation, the entire colony must be eradicated. If it isn’t, the remaining termites will simply rebuild, and the infestation will come back!
Worse still is that, in order to work at all, orange oil would need to be applied directly to the termites. Given that subterranean termites live in colonies underground and travel within the walls of your home, it would be impossible for you to apply orange oil where it’s needed.
Termites: Fact & Fiction
Below are some quick facts and common myths about termites.
Fiction: Termites only eat wood.
Most of the destruction in the home is performed by the termite colony’s workers and soldiers. These termites are actually blind. That means that they’re guided largely by their sense of taste. Since they can’t see, they’ll eat almost anything in their path. If they determine that the material is not wood, they’ll move on.
This is why it’s common to find not only damaged wood in termite-infested structures, but also damaged wires, drywall, and more. If you have a termite problem, you may need to replace a number of materials in your home.
Fiction: Your home is permanently safe once it has been treated for termites.
Many people believe that once a home is treated for termites, it’s safe for years to come or even permanently. In fact, many homes are treated during the sales process, and that treatment may be presented as a benefit or safeguard for the buyer.
Treatment is a great way to eliminate termites that already exist in the home, but it doesn’t guarantee that termites won’t come back in the future. To do that, you need a monitoring program. A good monitoring program can detect a colony in its early stages, so you can take action quickly and prevent further damage. To learn more about termite monitoring programs, contact Scherzinger Pest Control today.
Fact: Termites can bite.
Although it rarely happens, termites are capable of biting humans. For it to happen, though, the human would likely need to initiate contact. Termites are cryptic in nature, meaning that they prefer to stay concealed. It’s unlikely that a termite would initiate a bite. However, if you see one and are tempted to swat it with your hand, know that you may get bitten.
Fiction: Termites won’t eat treated wood or redwood.
Another common myth is that your patio or deck is protected if it’s treated or if it’s made of redwood. It’s true that termites don’t prefer treated wood or redwood. However, they will certainly eat it if it’s the best option available.
Termites are primarily concerned with survival. They may not enjoy your redwood deck, but they’ll eat it rather than starve to death.
Fact: Some termites look like flying ants.
Although most termites in a colony do not have wings, winged termites are produced once a colony is ready to expand. These winged termites swarm in order to mate and start new colonies, and at first glance, they. The biggest visible difference is that termites are tube-shaped, while flying ants have a distinct pinched waist.
If you think you have a problem with flying ants, it may be worth it to schedule a termite inspection. It’s very possible that those annoying ants are really termites that are destroying your home.
Got a Termite Problem? Contact us Today!
You can read more about the process of getting rid of termites in Termite Elimination Solutions for your Home and in this information about our special Sentricon® Termite Colony Elimination System.
If you’re worried about termites in and around your home, contact us today. ScherZinger Termite and Pest Control is a trusted pest control company in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas, including Dayton, OH, and now Columbus, OH. We’ve been pioneers, engineering new standards for ways of eliminating and controlling bugs and pests. Contact us by phone at 1-877-748-9888 or through our website, Facebook, or Twitter.
