Termites - a concern in 49
out of 50 states
There are about 2000 known
species of termites throughout
the world. In the U.S.,
Subterranean Termites, including
Eastern, Western, Desert and
Formosans, which build
underground nests, are a concern
in every state except Alaska.
Subterranean termites are
extremely destructive, because
they tunnel their way to wooden
structures (like your home),
into which they burrow to obtain
food. Termites all share a
virtually insatiable appetite
for wood and other
cellulose-containing materials.
Given enough time, they will
feed on the wood until nothing
is left but a shell.
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Learn more...
A Caste of
Hundreds of Thousands
Termites are highly social
insects that live in large
colonies where populations can
reach more than one million. A
colony consists of several
structurally differentiated
forms living together as castes
(including reproductives,
soldiers, and workers) with
different functions in community
life.
In the spring, winged
reproductives leave the parental
nest in swarms to create a new
colony. The swarming lasts less
than an hour, so it's very
likely you'll never even see it.
The winged reproductives
themselves look quite a bit like
flying ants, for which they are
often mistaken.
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Those "Ants"
Might be Termites
Both ants and termites
have two pairs of wings,
but ants' wings are
different sizes while
the termites' wings are
all the same size. Also,
ants have narrowed
waists and elbowed
antennae while termites
have thick waists and
short, straight antennae
that resemble strings of
beads. Don't be fooled
by color or size. Ants
can vary in size, and
winged termites can be
brown or black like
ants.
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Look for
Signs
You're more likely to discover
you have a termite problem by
discovering the evidence they
leave behind rather than the
actual termites themselves. If
you encounter any of these
telltale signs, there's a good
chance termites are busy
snacking on your home:
- Piles of small, delicate
wings shed by reproductives
- Small piles of sawdust
- Mud tubes built by
termites for aboveground
travel
- Damaged or hollow
sounding wood
- Pinholes in drywall or
wallpaper
Of course, it's quite possible
to have a hidden termite problem
even if you never notice any of
these signs. The best way to be
sure is to
contact ecola to conduct a
complete inspection of your
homeĀ
.
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Who's Coming
to Dinner in Your Neck of the
Woods?
 Formosan
Subterranean termites are one of
several termite species that
threaten homes and other
structures in Hawaii and the
southern half of the continental
United States.
 The
Western Subterranean termite is
a problem for homeowners in the
Western part of North America
from British Columbia in Canada
south to western Mexico and east
as far as Idaho and Nevada.
 Desert
Subterranean termites are
commonly distributed throughout
the lower deserts of
northwestern Mexico, southern
California and southern Arizona.
 The
Eastern Subterranean termite is
a problem for homeowners from
southern Ontario in Canada,
south throughout the Eastern
United States and as far west as
Montana.
 Drywood
termites threaten homes in
southern California, Arizona,
Utah, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Florida,
Louisiana, Texas, Puerto Rico,
and Hawaii.
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