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LEARN
MORE ABOUT TERMITES
- Termites
are insects. They have hard, saw-toothed jaws that
help them to eat lumber, wallpaper, plastics, and
fabric made of plant fibers.
- There
are four different groups of termites: dampwood, drywood,
subterranean and mound builders. Dampwood termites
like to live and feed in very moist wood. Drywood
termites can survive in very dry conditions and do
not need moisture or soil. Subterranean termites are
very common and live and breed in soil. Mound builders
live in Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia and part
of South America; they are able to build large earthen
towers 25 feet or higher.
- Termites
can be found in almost every state as well as Mexico
and parts of Canada. They favor warmer climates and
actively avoid light. The most common termites in
San Diego County are Dogwood and Subterranean.
- As
a species, termites date back to the time of the dinosaurs.
- Termites
are 24/7 bugs, which means they eat non-stop - 24
hours a day, seven days a week. They feed on wood
and may also destroy paper products such as books,
cardboard, boxes and anything containing cellulose.
Even buildings with steel framing and masonry walls
are targets because of the wooden door and window
frames, cabinets and shelving within the buildings.
- Subterranean
termites live in underground colonies, some containing
over two million members.
- The
social structure of a colony includes the queen, king,
winged reproductive swarmers, soldiers, and workers.
Worker termites are small creamy white insects. They
are the most numerous and the cause of all the termite
damage.
- Swarmers,
or winged reproductives, are termites that leave the
colony to mate, reproduce, and start new colonies.
- In
a large nest, a queen and king may live for 15 years,
with the queen laying up to one egg every 15 seconds
for most of her life.
- Termites
can cause serious damage to structures often long
before they are discovered, i.e., more than $1.5 billion
in property damage a year to over 600,000 homes in
the United States
.
- How
do termites enter the home? The most common termite,
the subterranean, builds its nest in the ground. These
termites construct mud tubes that are used to explore
for food and connect their underground nest to that
food source. They can enter a building without direct
wood contact with the soil through such tubes. They
can find their way into a structure through an opening
as small as 1/32 or an inch (smaller than the size
of a pinhead!).
- A
pest control professional, or termite control specialist,
can provide protection from termite infestation. Professional
termite inspectors are trained to locate specific
areas in homes where a termite attack is most likely
to occur. If termites are found, the specialist can
design a treatment plan to control current infestations
and to protect homes from future infestations.
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"When
you want the BEST, it's D&S for all your pests!"
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D&S
Termite and Pest Control
3638 Bancroft Drive
Spring Valley, CA 91977
Phone: (619) 462-5577 or
1-877-Kill-Ants
Fax: (619) 462-1700
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