How Do Termites Go From House to House?
WouterTermites are small insects that are not visible to the naked eye. They can enter a house through gaps, or through tiny cracks. They are attracted to cellulose products. The cellulose makes the trunks of trees strong.
A colony of termites can have up to one million termites. They live in a nest and eat cellulose. A colony can also have more than one queen, which is responsible for producing new colonies.
Termites can be very destructive to wooden structures. When they move into a home, they will eat the wood non-stop. They can also invade the structure’s windows and doors.
When the weather turns cold, worker termites slow down and become less active. They need to find food for the colony. They then secrete their food inside the nest. When the food runs out, the worker termites come back for more.
Occasionally, termites will travel from one house to another. This is called a swarm. The swarmers will leave their original colony in search of a mate. They can fly up to 250 feet, but will eventually return to their nest. The wings of the swarmers are discarded and are usually found in windows or doors.
A swarm can last for a few minutes or hours. If you see a swarm in your home, seal any cracks and shut the windows. This will make it harder for the termites to get in.
Keeping firewood at least 20 feet away from the house is a good way to keep termites away. These invasive insects are not attracted to concrete.
