Is my home infested by termites?
Let’s first look at the definition of the word “infestation”.
in·fes·ta·tion
/ˌinfəˈstāSHən/
Learn to pronounce
noun
noun: infestation; plural noun: infestations
- the presence of an unusually large number of insects or animals in a place, typically so as to cause damage or disease. “infestation with head lice is widespread”
Why did they have to bring head lice into this?
An infestation of any kind of insect, animal, pest can’t ever be a good thing, right? Butterflies, maybe? There are multiple signs of a termite infestation, and the easiest one to spot by the average person would be flying termites. Also called, “swarmers”, these are termites that have left their nest and are flying around looking for a mate and to start a colony. Once a swarmer has found a mate, it loses its’ wings, and these are yet another sign of an infestation, discarded wings. You don’t have to be a pest specialist to see either of these signs.
What was that noise?
Another sign of termites (and this is a bit creepy) is the sounds they make. If your home or space is infested with termites, if you get really quiet and put your ear up to the wall, you might be able to hear them chewing. Crazy, right? Those loud chompers are the worker termites, chewing away on the wood inside your home. But they aren’t the only ones making noise, listen for the soldier termites. They bang their heads against the wall to warn others of danger to the colony. Here’s a link for you to listen to the sound of termites. Who knew termites loved rock and roll?
Mud tubes, that’s a nice way of putting it.
Mud tubes are easy to spot, they provide moisture for termites and are also made of termite droppings and soil. Termites like to move around inside the walls of your space, but when the space is harder to navigate (not wood, for example) a mud tube gives them a quick and easy tunnel or tube to move from space to space. This video ,titled “Termites turning your house into a poop palace” is just a charming as it sounds. But it does help to encourage the viewer to look for these signs of infestation! Who wants to live in a “poop palace” ?
This. Door. Won’t. Shut.
Yet another sign of termites is when doors and windows become difficult to close. This is because when termites are eating their way through the wood in your home, windows and doors, it causes excess moisture to build up. Excess moisture causes doors and windows to warp and that makes them hard to close. Who would have ever thought a “wonky” door could be a sign of termite infestation? In addition to difficult doors, paper thin doors, walls and baseboards are a sign that termites have been feasting. Try knocking on walls to see if they sound or feel papery or hollow.
Termites are active, devastating and costly.
Termites are active all year long and cost homeowners in the US an estimated $50 BILLION in repair every ten years. Termite damage is rarely covered by homeowners insurance because it is considered to be preventable. Here’s where you come in. You need to prevent termite damage. Don’t wait for paper thin walls, jammed up windows and doors, please don’t live in a “poop palace”. Get help from the professionals at Lawn and Pest Solutions. We are licensed to treat with the Sentricon System which gets ahead of the attack and protects your home. Contact us today to ask about our ultimate pest protection program. We can assess your situation for free. We treat homes and businesses from Memphis to all over North Missississipp including New Albany, Oxford and Tupelo.
