Although there are several types of termites, subterranean, or underground, termites cause about 95 percent of damages to homes and properties in this country. Since these termites live underground and within their food supply, you may never see them. So how do you know if you have termites? Here are tips from Sitename to help you out.
Presence of Winged Swarmers
One day you wake up to find a backyard tree, your porch, or a room in your home covered in clumsy, long-bodied winged insects. These are breeding termites or ants leaving their colonies to breed and then make new colonies. Winged ant breeders have pinched waists and bent antennae. Winged termites have cigar-shaped bodies and straight antennae. If you are not sure if they are ants or termites, contact Atlas Exterminator Co Inc in Bel Air MD at once.
Mysterious Piles of Sawdust
Next to your porch, steps, furniture, or on the carpet under the windows suddenly appear little piles of sawdust-like material. Where did it come from? These piles are actually frass or termite droppings. They make tunnels wherever they are to push out their droppings. Tap the piece of furniture or fencing all over and listen for hollow sounds. Those hollow sounds indicate termites are inside clearing the structure out.
Appearance of Mud Tubes
Termite bodies dry out quickly when exposed to air and sunlight. This is why termites live underground. To keep their bodies cool, moist, and comfortable, termite workers construct tunnels made out of dirt and their own saliva. These are called mud tubes. They resemble thin stripes of dirt. They can be found anywhere on walls, frames, fences, porches or trees. The drier the dirt, the older the tube. Fresh mud tubes will be moist. Mud tubes can be easily picked open to see workers inside. Even if there are no workers to be seen, mud tubes mean that termites are in your home. Call Atlas Exterminator Co Inc in Bel Air MD at once.
Blistering or Warping of Wood
If a wooden wall, stair, piece of furniture, or any other wooden structure starts blistering, falling apart, or warping, this is a sign that termites have invaded it, hollowed it out for food, and left the rest to rot. This is a very bad sign. Do not put off your call to an exterminator.
