Knowing how to identify signs of a termite infestation is essential for any homeowner. Termites can compromise your home in a short time, causing damage to wooden materials, drywall, and structural supports. Termites are difficult to detect because they remain hidden within the wood. You may only notice their presence when the damage becomes significant. Here are a few signs of termites in the home.
Termites work year-round. The queen can lay 3,000 eggs a day, expanding the colony’s size quickly, regardless of weather conditions outside. In spring and summer, termites look for a mate and breed. Warmer temperatures increase the risk of infestations because termites need a place to start a new colony.
1. Discarded Wings are Signs of Termites
Around breeding season, termites develop wings. They leave their colony to mate and find a new home, at which point they’ll shed their wings.
One of the signs of termites is discarded wings on your property. You may notice small piles of nearly translucent wings near windows, doors, or other entry points. If you suspect termites, call a pest control specialist to inspect the home and suggest the best method to get rid of the infestation.
2. Hollow Wood
Termites are very efficient workers. It doesn’t take long before their tunnels compromise a structure. Another sign of termite infestation is hollow wood or uneven hardwood floors in your home. Uneven flooring is a clear sign that there has been structural damage. Since termites feed on wood, they make the flooring supports weak, which causes the floors to warp.
3. Termite Droppings
As termites build tunnels, they push waste out of tiny holes in the wood. Termite droppings, or frass, look like small granules of sawdust or coffee grounds and are usually only evident when the damage in the wood is already extensive. The insects have formed a colony and are removing debris from their tunnels.
4. Signs of Termites: Mud Tubes
Termites pose an enormous risk to a home because they are challenging to detect. One of the most common indications of a termite infestation is mud tubes along walls or the foundation. Termites build these tubes as shelter to protect them from the elements as they travel from one area to another.
If you suspect termites in your home, call a trained pest control company to inspect the property. They will identify the colony and suggest the next steps to eliminate the infestation.
Mich-Inspect provides inspection services to home buyers and sellers in Michigan, including termite and wood-destroying insect inspections. Contact us to request an appointment.