Quietly tearing apart floors, walls, and wood, termites can cause extreme damage before you even discover them in your home. In fact, termites are considered one of the most destructive wood pests in the US, causing billions in damage each year and affecting more than one in four homes.
Being aware of the telltale signs of termite activity can help you recognize an infestation more quickly and get the pest control assistance you need. Even better, Black Diamond, an experienced company in your area, can help you be proactive in preventing a termite infestation, saving you time, hassle and money.
Interested in learning more? Follow along to discover the 8 most common signs that you may have termite activity in your home.
8 common signs of termite activity
- swarms. A cloud of small winged insects entering or leaving your house could be a group of termites “swarming”. Coming out of exposed wood, floors, and walls, they will normally be in or around the building’s foundation. It takes several years for a termite colony to grow large enough to produce swarms, which means that if you see them, there is definitely an infestation inside.
- Discarded wings and dead bugs. A pile of discarded wings on the windowsill or dead swarmers are a good indication of a termite population. Termites are usually reddish-brown in color with large translucent wings. They are distinct in physical appearance from ants.
- excrement. The accumulation of termite feces, or “excrement,” is a pretty strong indicator of infestation. The droppings may look like a pile of pellets or be like sand. Droppings may be near entry points, tunnels, or hollow wood.
- Shelter tubes. Termites build moist passageways on exterior surfaces to prevent exposure to sunlight, air, wind, and any drying elements. These tubes are quite distinct, made from hardened earth and soil, and vary in color from light brown to red. Breaking open a section of the pipe will often reveal the termites traveling inside.
- Mud stains. When cutting wood, termites often accidentally go too far and expose themselves to the outside. To fix this, termites put “holes” or small mud patches that cover the point of exposure. You may notice a series of round, dry mud patches on an external surface.
- Along the grain tunnels. Over time, termites create complex tunnel systems in the wood. The visible channels have a honeycomb design. Most of these passageways remain hidden, under floors, between walls, so you may spot one while remodeling or opening up a previously confined space. Spotting termite tunnels is a telltale sign of infestation.
- Hollow wood. Do you notice a springy, brittle or hollow sound when you touch a wooden surface in your home? Termite activity is possible, especially if this surface appeared to be stable or more resistant in the past. There may also be visible tunnels, termites, or droppings around this wood.
- Lines on wallpaper. Another visible sign of infestation is long, sunken lines in the wallpaper. Initially, the lines may look like water or tooth damage, but they are organized in structure, intricate, and connected. This indicates that the termite passageways are just below the surface. Termites often eat wood paneling and the thin, cardboard-like substance just below the wallpaper.
Dont wait. It is essential to contact a licensed pest control professional as soon as you experience any of these symptoms. There are a variety of other species of wood-destroying insects, and in most cases, you need to be trained and experienced to correctly identify them. Determining the correct species is crucial to choosing the correct course of action and treatment process.
While you may find that there are a number of services that offer pest eradication, be sure to choose a qualified company that has the experience and tools necessary to remove termites from your home or business.