DAMPWOOD TERMITES
The dampwood termite has a diet that consists of consuming both spring and summer woods. They create galleries connected by tunnels, which are smooth to the touch due their fine sandpapering habits when walking around in search for food; there’s no soil inside these underground hideaways but if conditions get wet enough then some pellets will stick onto it as though glued or dried up bits from prior meals- this is what gives them away! When times dry out again though (or if you’re talking about subterranean types), everything slides back into place just like before with no lasting impacts on either surface area nor structure.
Swarming termites come out during the dusk or at night. They are attracted to lights. The time of year varies depending on the type of termite. Pacific Dampwood termites swarm mainly during August-October.
There are three ways to control termites: eliminating the moisture source, getting rid of any wood-to-ground contact, and treating the infested wood. If you have termites, you may also want to treat the soil and/or wood with an appropriate pesticide or termiticide.
WESTERN DRYWOOD TERMITES
Drywood termites eat across the wood grain and make chambers and/or galleries connected by tunnels. Their gallery and tunnel walls are velvety smooth, and no soil is present. Usually there are fecal pellets present which are hard, less than 1/32” long, elongate-oval with rounded ends, and have 6 concave sides. Signs of infestation include swarmers, shed wings, piles of pellets, termite plugs which seal all openings in infested wood, and surface blisters caused by older enlarged galleries very close to the wood surface. Damage to wood occurs slowly over time. Under optimal conditions of 80-90 degrees and 50% relative humidity, it has been estimated that one drywood termite. Drywood termites can grow very large colonies. Often, the same colony will keep coming back to the same house. In 2006, it was estimated that the damage and treatment costs for drywood termites in California and Arizona were $250 million.
The drywood termite is a pesky creature that can fly into your house and infest any piece of wood it likes. These insects typically start by investing in exposed areas such as window frames, trimming around doorways or eaves near ceilings – but sometimes they will go for more permanent spots like an attic space too.
There are different ways to control termites. The most successful way is to use fumigation. If the infestation is widespread or difficult to get to, then this is the best option. If the infestation is only in a small area, then you can use pesticides that are labeled for termites and injected into the area or put on the surface.
WESTERN SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE
Subterranean termites eat mostly the soft wood, which they prefer over the harder wood. That is why damaged wood appears to be layered. Sometimes soil is present in the galleries.
Most colonies are located in the ground. They are usually found below the frost line, but above the water table and rock formations. Mud tubes are built to help colonies move between areas of difficult terrain and their food sources. If there is a constant source of moisture available (like from a leaky pipe), then colonies can exist above ground without making contact with the ground.
You can control termites by putting a chemical treatment zone around your house. You can also use an in-ground monitoring-baiting system to find the termite colony. You need to get rid of any wood-to-soil contact and remove any wood debris. The wood moisture content should be below 20%. If there are secondary colonies, you need to dry out the moisture-source area. You can also use a pesticide to kill the termites. There are also above-ground baiting systems that you can put on the infested wood.
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