Termites are destructive pests, which, if undetected, can cause huge financial damage by eating away your furniture one plank at a time. You can never be too careful with termites, as they are not very conspicuous, and you may not be aware of them until it's too late. Be proactive and carry out an annual termite inspection of your home. You can minimize damage and repairs by looking out for the commons warning signs of a termite infestation below.
Termite Droppings
As with any pest, the surefire sign that you may have an infestation in your home is the droppings they leave behind. For termites, it's called frass. Frass may look different for the different types of termites. Because they take in very little moisture from dry wood, one thing for sure is that their droppings are hard. The droppings often look like sawdust or ground coffee. If you notice such pellets in suspect areas, chances are you have a termite problem.
Termite Wings
As termites mature, they grow wings, which are then shed when they are about to leave the nest and form new colonies. Because they'll be attracted to light and warm areas, you'll find these same-sized wings discarded near your window or door. This is a dead giveaway of a termite colony within your home, and if you happen to come across them, contact professional exterminators immediately.
Hollow Wood
Damaged wood and termites are inseparable. Although termites devour wood differently, they all eventually eat your furniture from the inside out. A piece of wood that has been eaten by termites will sound hollow on a knock.
Mud Tubes
Termites need certain temperatures and humidity to prevent them from dehydrating, and they achieve this by building mud tubes from the soil to their source of food. You'll notice these tubes in your home's foundation and walls if you have an infestation. Fortunately, these are easy to spot. If you see one, call a termite control company immediately.
Head Banging
Head banging is perhaps one of the most obvious signs of a termite infestation. These pesky little insects are loud eaters, and it's easy to catch them doing so because they eat 24/7. This sound might also come from termite soldiers who vibrate their body parts to warn other termites of impending danger. Just put your ear near suspected furniture or walls, and if you hear soft clicking sounds, organize an inspection as soon as possible.
You may not be well trained enough to detect an infestation early. So, it's prudent to have regular inspections of your home a few times every year to prevent costly damage to your property.
No one wants pests to infest their home. However, if it does happen, the best thing you can do is learn everything you can about the different types of pest and the problems they can cause. I hope that this blog will provide you with lots of useful info which will help you to beat pests such as spiders, termites, mice, and ants. I'm not a pest control expert but I've spent a very long time doing some detailed research into this topic. I have produced a lot of articles which I hope you enjoy reading. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog.