How can you tell if you have termites?

Keep an eye out for the following signs of termite activity:

Discolored or drooping drywall.
Peeling paint that resembles water damage.
Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
Small, pinpoint holes in drywall.
Buckling wooden or laminate floor boards.
Tiles loosening from the added moisture termites can introduce to your floor.

What can be mistaken for termites?

The insects most commonly confused for termites are flying ants. The most common species of ants to take flight around your house are carpenter ants, but they’re by no means the only ones. Other would-be imposters include moisture ants, black garden ants and pavement ants.

Where do termites live in house?

The pests can travel into houses on furniture and dry firewood. They also live in trees that are near cracks and voids in home exteriors. As these termites live deep inside wooden structures, home invasions are often hard to spot.

Are termites hard to get rid of?

How to kill termites. Unlike some other pests, termites aren’t easy to eliminate on your own. Since many homeowners don’t detect a termite problem until it’s rapidly spread, it’s hard to contain the situation without the help of a professional.

Do termites go away on their own?

Yes, they can go away on their own. Why is it a scary answer? Because you never know when they are going to come back! Without a termite treatment, there is no way of knowing when a healthy termite colony will return to re-infest a structure.

Are black ants a sign of termites?

Black ants love termites! For ants to be able to feed on the termites the termites nest needs to be penetrated. Ants will only take what they require to feed their nest. They will not wipe out a whole termites colony as then their food supply will cease.

Can termites get in your bed?

Although this species of termite is confined to warmer or more tropical climates in states such as Florida and California, they can wreak havoc on wooden furniture such as beds, chairs, and more. Drywood termites can slip into crevices of wood furniture and other nearly invisible cracks and feed on the wood.

Why do termites suddenly appear?

Termites swarm after their original colony has reached a certain capacity level and is ready to expand. For most colonies, this happens once a year. Hundreds or even thousands of swarmers, called alates, are produced with the sole purpose of reproduction and expansion.

Will termites go away on their own?

What do termites look like in a colony?

Termites are soft-bodied insects, typically brown, gray, or white in color, and they live in colonies where each member has its own special role. Termites look similar to ants. In fact, most people describe termites as white ants. They have difficult when telling the difference between termites and ants,…

What do the wings of a termite look like?

Termites’ wings are also equal in length and usually white or transparent in color. Flying ants have longer wings in their front and shorter wings in the back. Their color ranges from cream to reddish-brown. A termite’s color depends on its species and caste.

How are ants and termites alike and different?

While both winged ants and termites have antennae, termite antennae are straight while ant antennae are bent. Unlike termites, which have wide waists, ants have narrow waists that make them look almost like bees. Both flying ants and termites have two pairs of wings, but termite wings are the same size.

What do drywood termites look like to humans?

Drywood termites have a waist that is thick. They also have straight antennae like other termites. Drywood termites have legs that are shorter. When the wings are on the reproducers both pairs of wings will be the exact same length. Depending on whether the drywood termite is a worker, soldier, or reproducers they will vary in color.