Here in Greater Austin, Texas as we approach the spring season, termites will soon be swarming. Our wonderful technicians here at A-Tex Pest Management want to keep termite swarmers from infesting our client’s homes. As we have talked to our customers we have answered tons of questions about termites and exactly how they function. Today we are going to give you all sorts of different information about termites so that you have a better idea of how they go about their day to day life.
Termites Eat Wood
You are probably aware that termites eat wood to help them stay alive. This is indeed true. Termites eat non-stop. They literally eat 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This is what enables them to cause so much damage. Termites are frequently called the silent destroyers. This nickname is extremely accurate. Termites are able to chew through wood, flooring, and even wallpaper before you notice that they are in your house. They cause billions of dollars in property damage every year.
Types of Termites Found in Austin, TX
There are over 2,000 species of termites throughout the world. Today we are going to highlight the four most common termites that we deal with here in the United States. Dampwood termites, dry wood termites, Formosan termites, and subterranean termites are four termite species that A-Tex Pest Management works with.
Dampwood Termites
Dampwood termites are ½ to 5/8 of an inch long. They are larger than many other termite species. They are brown in color and oval in shape. They have six legs, wings, and an antenna. As their name implies, they like to feed on wood that is very moist. Frequently you will find them in wood that is next to plumbing leaks.
Subterrannean Termites
Subterranean termites are 1/8 to 1 inch long. They are creamy brown in color and oval in shape. They too have six legs, wings, and an antenna. They feed on wood, wallpaper, plastics, and fabric made from plants. They need soil to survive so they live in underground colonies or in wet areas aboveground. They build tunnels to help them reach food.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites are 3/8 of an inch long. They are light brown in color and oval in shape. They also have six legs, wings, and an antenna. Drywood termites like to eat wood, wallpaper, plastics, and fabric made from plants. They will build their colonies in dry wood. They do not require moisture so they will not gravitate towards wet wood like the damp wood termites.
Formosan Termites
Formosan termites are ½ of an inch long. They are yellowish-brown in color and oval in shape. They too have six legs, wings, and an antenna. Formosan termites eat wood and fabric made from plants. They like to feed on dead trees. As they do this they are actually helping the environment because they are making space for new plant life to grow. They live in large colonies underground. They build mud nests inside the walls of a building. They eat more wood than some of the other termites. Because of this, they are known to cause more extreme damage.
Termite Inspections, Control, Treatment & More in Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville, Cedar Park & Austin Texas
No matter what kind of termite species you have on your property it is imperative that you get rid of them as soon as possible. If you leave termites on your property they will end up doing tons of damage that are expensive to fix. A-Tex Pest Management is here to help you with a thorough termite inspection and custom treatment plan. Give us a call today to schedule your inspection.