Different Types of Termites & How to Manage an Infestation
Anyone who’s had a problem with termites knows the damage they can cause. We have hundreds of clients on Cape Cod and along the Massachusetts south shore who can attest to this. These pests are everywhere, both above ground and below, and are silent in their work.
There are many different types of termites that people may encounter in their homes, including:
- Dry Wood Termites: These can be light tan to black color and burrow just underneath the surface of dry wood and similar material.
- Damp Wood Termites: These termites prefer moist wood and can be harder to detect because they do not make mud tubes or “kick out” holes in the wood. Plus, they plug the holes they do make with “frass.”
- Subterranean Termites: Subterranean termites are also very difficult to detect since they nest underground, building mud tubes to connect their ground lair to the wood.
Here’s a bunch of other random facts about termites that perhaps you didn’t know:
- Termites have been around since dinosaurs walked the earth.
- Termite colonies eat non-stop, around the clock, seven days a week.
- Termites have wings, although they shed them once they’ve found an excellent place to live.
- Termites cause over $2 billion in damages per year.
- All termites are social insects and raise their young as a group.
- The total weight of all the termites in the world exceeds the total weight of all humans in the world.
- Damp wood termites like to live and feed in moist wood. They are usually larger than dry wood termites.
- Dry wood termites gather in colonies of about 2500 residents. They eat wood, wallpaper, plastics and fabrics made from plants.
- Formosan termites build colonies that can be up to 300 feet long, with tens of thousands of members living in them. Their settlements are built underground. They eat wood and fabric made from plants. When they eat those materials in your house, they are bad; when they eat dead trees, though, they help the environment by making space for new plants.
- Subterranean termites build underground colonies of up to 3 million residents. They require contact with soil to survive. Each spring, groups of them will fly off to form new colonies.
Not exactly fun facts, but true. Of course, you don’t need to know all of these facts, although you might find some of them interesting. At Pest Pros, however, we pride ourselves on knowing everything about termites, ants or any other pest that may invade your home, along with the best ways to get rid of them.
Contact Pest Pros for Help With Your Termite or Other Pest Infestation Problem in the Cape Cod Area
If you are a homeowner in the Cape Cod area — and you’re not an entomologist — the only termite facts you’re probably interested in are whether any are in your home, how you can get rid of them if there are and how you can keep them from showing up if there aren’t.
Fortunately, Pest Pros has the answers to all these questions. We have been managing the pest problems of Cape Cod residents for years. We know how to recognize not only all the different types of termites, but also all the other species of wood-destroying insects, as well, such as powder post beetles and carpenter ants — not to mention other pests commonly found in the Cape Cod area, like bees, ticks, wasps and mice.
It’s essential that we can recognize and identify different kinds of pests because each type may require specific solutions to treat. We have proven solutions to all the most common pest infestations you’ll find in Cape Cod, as well as those rare situations other professionals may shy away from. We know how to find pests wherever they’re hiding in your house, get rid of them and treat your home so they don’t come back again.
If you’re not sure whether you have termites or other insects or pests in your home, we can help you find out. Please remember that the Pest Pros’ inspection is FREE, and you folks on Cape Cod and the Massachusetts south shore should call if you suspect termites are about to contribute to these facts.
Call us at (508) 888-0999, or fill out and submit our free pest inspection form electronically. We’ll contact you right away to set up a time to assess your pest problem. Remember, if you do have termites or other wood-destroying insects lurking, the time to find out is now — before they do significant damage that will be expensive to repair. We’re ready and waiting, so get in touch with us today.
