How Can Termites Be Seen?
WouterIf you suspect that your home or office is infested with termites, you’ll need to know what they look like, where they can be found, and how to get rid of them. Besides being expensive, termite infestations can damage your building’s structural integrity. You should get a professional’s help if you find termites.
Termites are ants-like insects. They have small, black or dark brown bodies, with straight antennae and legs. Their wings are large, and they can fly with two pairs of equal-length wings.
They can be found in wood, especially furniture. Termites consume the cellulose in the wood and leave behind a thin veneer. They also make mud tubes to reach their nest.
If you’re not sure whether termites are infesting your property, you can use a termite probe to identify the insects. The probe contains a flexible shaft and fiber-optic light. It scans the wall for moisture, then reveals any mud tubes or galleries.
If you’ve got an infestation, you may notice tiny holes or cracks in your walls or ceiling. If you do, it’s a sign of an upcoming termite colony. But you might not be able to see termites in the wings.
Termites can be found in wood, but they will also feed on other types of material. They can infest dead stumps, and they can set up camp in tree stumps.
Termites swarm in the spring. This is when they mate, and they form a larger colony. A swarm only lasts a couple of hours, but it can be an early warning that a colony is nearby.
