There are two different types of termites that can affect U.S. households – subterranean termites and drywood termites. Subterranean termites live under the ground in colonies while drywood termites live directly in the wood. Either can infest homes in the South Carolina area and cause a significant amount of damage. Look for these signs of infestation from our Columbia, Florence, and Charleston pest control company:
Swarmers
Swarming termites usually leave their nest in the spring or the fall to search for a mate. These swarmers have wings and can be found flying around on the inside of your home or on the outside. If you find them on the outside, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have an infestation, but if you find them on the inside, our Columbia, Florence, and Charleston pest control experts know how to handle them.
Mud Tubes
If you’re dealing with subterranean termites, you may find mud tubes on the outside walls of your home. These tubes are what termites use to travel from their colonies to your home, and look like dried lines of dirt or mud. Look closely – these tubes are usually quite small.
Wings
Swarmer termites have wings and when they shed them, they often shed them near bright areas, such as window sills or lights. If you find small piles of dried wings in bright areas, you likely have an infestation in your home.
Damaged/Hollow Wood
When termites eat wood, they can leave it damaged in a few different ways. If you find wood that has holes, cracks, or other damage that follows the grain of the wood, or if you tap the wood and it sounds hollow, termites could be eating it from the inside.
Frass
As they eat their way through the wood, drywood termites leave behind small fecal pellets called frass. Frass is the color of wood, so it can sometimes make these tiny droppings look like sawdust. If you find these pellets, call our pest control company.
Cracked/Bubbled Paint
Because termites like to eat wood from the inside out, they can cause depressions in the wood. These depressions can crack or bubble any paint that may be on them, and give you a sign that there are termites in your home.
If you’re not sure if you have a termite infestation, don’t hesitate to call us. We’ll send an expert out to your home to inspect it and let you know the situation.
