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FINDING TERMITES
At a certain point, termite damage becomes visible to the naked eye. You might see a honeycomb pattern chewed out of the wood in your home. Or, the wood may appear blistered or unusually dark. But one of the biggest telltale signs is what appears to be wood dust. This dust is actually termite droppings, or frass, left behind by drywood termites.
LOOK FOR THE WINGS
When termites decide to abandon a food source and move on to a new one – such as your home – they take flight. Once they settle into their new digs, their wings fall off. Keep an eye on your window sills. They’re a good barometer for termite activity. If you see a lot of wings there, but no actual insects, termites are probably hard at work on your house. This is a good time to bring in the professionals to take a look.
MUD TUBES
If you ever see a mud tube on the exterior of your home, termites are close by. These tubes typically start at the ground and extend up the wall or along the foundation until they reach a wood source. Termites know that exposure to open air causes them to dry out. This makes them vulnerable to attack from other insects. The mud tube, however, protects them from any of these problems. Go ahead and break the tube open to see if termites are still using it. Even if there aren’t any termites in the tube, it doesn’t mean they’ve left your house. If they’ve found a better food source or have exhausted the food supply at that particular spot, they’ll simply establish new tubes somewhere else.
Beneath the Surface
Now that you have a better handle on how to find termites, it’s time for a little tough love. Even if you look around and don’t find any evidence of termites, your home may still be infested. Termites can hide inside your walls for years before you see any evidence of their existence. If your last termite inspection was when you bought your house, it’s time for a new inspection. A professional will know where to look and will even use specialized equipment to check for termites inside the walls.
Here at Reynolds Pest Management, we’ve been keeping homes pest-free since 1991. If you suspect you have a termite problem or want to make sure that you never do, feel free to contact us today at reynoldspest.com. We’ll be happy to keep your home safe and secure from termite invasion. And, if you liked this video, be sure to like, comment, and subscribe!
