Dampwood termites require high levels of moisture and direct access to a source of water. Because of this fact, most dampwood termite colonies are found in trees and rotting wood as opposed to in the structure of your home.
Drywood
If you see a pile of termite droppings, also known as frass, on your windowsill you probably have drywood termites. As their name state, these termites munch on the dry wood of your furniture
Subterranean
Take a look around the perimeter of your home, if you see mud tubes forming on the foundation of your home leading from the earth toward your foundation, those are subterranean termites. These termites live in the soil around your home and enter through the wood that makes contact with the ground.
How To Treat Them
Once you’ve identified what type of termite you’re dealing with you’ll want to get to work immediately finding the right professionals to help you treat them. The best course of action depends upon which termites you have, and here are the top recommendations for each of the 3 main types of termites.
Because subterranean termites live underground the best termite control action is to treat the ground around your home. The termites come into contact with the poison and carry it back to their nest, eradicating the rest of the colony. While this tactic is very effective, you will still want to invest in regular pest control to ensure that no surviving termites continue to live in your home.
Drywood termites are very common in Florida. By the time you proof of termites in your home, the colony has likely already spread to other locations in your walls, trim, or other dry wood in your home. For this reason, spot treating is not an effective tactic. The most effective termite control method to rid your home of drywood termites is to treat the whole structure through a process we call fumigation.
Since dampwood termites build their colony in damp and rotting wood, they can often we eliminated by removing the source of damp wood in or around your home. In some cases, this may be parts of your home that have been exposed to leaking water or rotting wood on your property due to dead trees or piles of firewood. An excellent solution to these pests is to remove the moist wood that is attracting them, perhaps this will require you to replace parts of your roof or siding, or even take down unhealthy trees.
Regardless of which of these types of termites you suspect you may have in your home or around your property, it’s important to seek professional intervention quickly. Termites can spread and become unmanageable in a short amount of time, so the faster you manage them the easier it will be to eliminate them from your home.
For more information about how to handle the various pests in your home, contact Holder Pest Control today.
