How Termites Find a Home

You have been wanting to buy a home for many years and have finally saved up enough for a down payment. One of your biggest issues is termite damage. You have seen how termites can wreck a home and cause irreparable damage to many homes. You have also noticed that treating termites can be considerably expensive. You do the research to find out how to keep termites from destroying your new home. Read on to discover how termites find a home?

What Are Termites?

Termites are eusocial insects that are classified in the taxonomic rank of infraorder Isoptera. They are in the sister group of wood eating cockroaches and one of the most successful groups of insects on Earth. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They are divided between the worker and soldier, with both groups being sterile. All groups have fertile males called kings and fertile females called queens. They mostly feed on dead plants, wood, soil, leaf litter or animal dung. Termite colonies can range in size from several hundred to several million. Termite queens have the longest life spans with some living up to 50 years. They can cause serious damage to buildings, crops and forests.

How Termites Find A Home?

Termites will navigate to the wood in your home. They dig deep holes and borrows in the wood of your home where they can nestle and build their colonies. A small colony can eat a foot of 2x4's within 6 months of migrating in your home. Termites look for what they love to eat, which is wood, leaf, animal dung and dead plants. Any nests of these will draw termites. The first sign that termites have found their way into your home is when you begin to see Swarmers. These are king and queen termites produced by a mature colony who are there to find the perfect place for building their nest in your home or crops. Other signs that you have termites are blisters in the wood flooring and signs of hollowed or damaged wood.

As you look for termites, remember that termites eat wood quickly. You will need to call in a professional to do a termite inspection and termite treatment for your home. Having a professional will ensure that the job is done correctly. It may take more than one visit to ensure that the termite colony is permanently gone from your home. Your termite professional will do an initial consultation to see the size of your home, the source of the termite problem and the best way to alleviate the termites in your home.

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Learn about Subterranean Termites here