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5 Alarming Signs of Drywood Termites in Your Home

When your house is overrun with various types of pests, it will never go unnoticed because various pests leave traces that are noticeable to a keen eye. When you start noticing these traces and signs without making an effort, be assured that your home is teeming with pests and it is time to call pest control services like Responsible Pest.

Like other pests, termites also exhibit various signs which must never be ignored because termites are incredibly dangerous pests, and can damage the wooden valuables of your home in no time. Among termites, dry wood termites are even more dangerous because they sneak into the foundations of your house to feast on dry wood, which severely compromises the structural integrity of your house. We have discussed here five alarming signs of dry wood termites in your home so that you can deal with them before it gets too late.

1. Spotting white ants:

Many people confuse termites with what they call ‘white ants’ and tend to shrug them off like commonly found ants in the household. However, there exist no species of ants called white ants and even though there exist ants that are whitish like ghost ants, these ants are only partially white. Therefore, if you observe an insect in your house that looks like the fictional white ant, be assured that you are looking at a termite.

There are some differences between ants and termites that can be used to distinguish between the two insects. For example, termites have straight antennae and ants have bent antennae. Moreover, termites have a thicker waist as compared to ants, that can be easily noticed.

2. Hearing clicking sounds:

Termites can not only be identified by the way they look but can also be identified by the way they sound. Termites are noisy eaters and they can be heard munching if you put your ear to an infested piece of wood. Moreover, worker termites bang their heads against the wood to alert other termites about a looming danger. These banging noises can easily be heard if you listen intently. Therefore, if you hear these clicking sounds, be assured that your house is infested and warrants an immediate solution.

3. Spotting frass:

Frass is the fecal matter of termites whose piles can be observed near the nests of termites. Drywood termites do not use their droppings to create tunnels like subterranean termites. Instead, they like to keep their tunnels clean and frass-free, which is why they push their droppings away from their nest. Frass piles look a lot like sawdust and their sighting is a clear sign of termite infestation in your house.

4. Spotting wood tunnels:

You can check whether a wooden structure is infected or not by tapping on it. If you hear hollow sounds, it means that the wood is being eaten up from the inside. You can push a screwdriver inside the wood and turn it out to check for wood tunnels. Wood tunnels are the channels or galleries made by termites while they are on the munching spree. If you notice any mud-free wood tunnels on the extracted piece of wood, it means that the dry wood termites have infested your home.

5. Discarded wings:

Discarded wings are one of the tell-tale signs of termites infestation because termites shed their wings as a part of their life cycle. There are some winged termites called swarmers, who fly to various locations to form a nest, where they reproduce and establish colonies. Their wings shed after reproduction which you can find lying around in your house if you look closely.

Now that you know all about the tell-tale signs of termite infestation, you are well prepared to identify the problem right from the outset.

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