What a Termite Looks Like

A termite is an incredibly pesky class of insect that can not only leave you tearing your hair out, it can literally eat your house down. If you live in any of the forty-nine out of fifty states in North America, it is likely that these bugs would have crossed your path. The only state safe from such an experience is that of Alaska. And when you are within the antennae range of termites, it is important that you know what they are, what they can do, and how you can deal with them.

There are mainly three types of termites which you need to worry yourself with. They are dry wood, damp wood and subterranean termites. The most common class is the subterranean type, but it does not make much of a difference which type plagues your home. As long as you have a situation where wood and water collide, then it can quickly produce a mix which will greatly promote the incidence and breeding of these dangerous bugs. Why dangerous? Because a problem left untreated as such, can quickly see a fine dream home torn down within months.

As it is with the class of termites, there are also three main ranks present within each termite colony. First up, you have the 'swarmer', which is another name for queen termite. They are large in size and have wings which are even bigger than that of the other ranks. They also have four wings while other termite ranks only own a pair. Swarmers can come in different shades of brown but as you do not get to see them unless you work pest control, it is not critical to know what color they come in. The next rank of termites is known as the soldier. As their name suggests, soldier termites basically run the nest while protecting the queen. They are the biggest in size and have large mandibles which are strong enough to crush many opponents, if encountered. The third and final rank of termites is the worker, which is white and does all the dirty work. This includes chomping away at the wooden parts of your home. This is all part of ensuring a supply of food and building material for their nests.

Some may find difficulty in figuring out the differences between ants and termites as they admittedly look similar. But if you spot a line of little white bugs in and out of cracks in your house, especially in wooden areas, then it is very likely you have been invaded by termites. While it is not limited to wood, the next course of action would be to contact your nearest pest control company. They can help to confirm the presence of termites in your home and discover the whereabouts of the termite nest. Once that is done, destruction of the colony is advisable and ultimately important.