MORE ABOUT TERMITES AND THE DAMAGE THEY MIGHT DO

Termites have a cylindrical shaped body without distinct sections. They are a very ancient type of insect, distantly related to cockroaches. Of the more than 2,000 species of termites worldwide only 70 species represent a threat to humans and their belongings. The common termite represented in our region is the Eastern Subterranean Termite.

Termites are social insects containing workers, soldiers and reproductives. With as many as 60,000 to 1.5 million individuals per colony, they will forage up to 300 yards and can enter cracks as small as 1/64-inch wide, about the thickness of a matchbook cover. Their food source is wood, any by-product of wood, or a source of cellulose such as carpeting, furniture, books, wood chips and mulch that are used in landscaping, as well as other trees, vines and bushes that are close to or in contact with houses.

DAMAGE ESTIMATES

Termites strike five times as many homes as fires do. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire hits 420,000 homes each year, while termites infest two million homes per year.

Wood-destroying pests cause more than $5 billion in damage per year to frame homes and buildings.

Common signs of a termite infestation:

• Swarming termites in April and May, where discarded wings are all homeowners will sometimes find
• Mud tubes on the foundation of their homes
• Damaged wood during remodeling or rebuilding