As its name suggests, dry wood termites mainly live in dry wood areas. Without being visible, they can be present in foundations, window and door frames in your home. From small furniture to skirting boards, these specific pests will feed on any piece of wood found around your home.
Searching for signs of termites in your home is of vital importance. Thus, it is always a good idea to make regular checks around your house, especially if you know that dry wood infestation is rampant in your neighbourhood. Through this, you can prevent termite damage to your home as you caught them early.
Learning the signs of an infestation is vital so that you can immediately call for a Detail Pest Control termite treatment. And as a property owner, it is your responsibility. So to help you, we list below some indicators that may tell that dry wood termites are present in your home.
- There is a sound of headbanging.
The quiet clicking sounds coming from the walls are a sign of termite infestation. Soldier termites shake their bodies or hit their heads against wood when their colony is bothered to alert other pests alike. The workers, on the other hand, are noisy eaters. They only love eating your woodwork all day and night. Surely, you can hear them munching away if you put your ear against any wood infested with termites.
- You notice some flying termites in or near your property.
The presence of flying termites called swarmers is usually the first sign of an infestation. The flying termites are males and females that abandoned their nest to search for a mate and then establish a new colony which is only situated near your home. Some species are attracted to light sources and swarms at night. All dry wood termites tend to swarm after the rain at some time of the year. It is far unlikely to other species that flock during broad daylight.
If you happen to see discarded wings on grounds, no doubt, your home is already infested with termites. After finding a mate, flying termites lose their wings. Then, the pair will crawl to a suitable area where they seal themselves into mate and start building a new colony.
- You observe hollow-sounding timber.
Only a thin veneer of timber or just paint will be left behind when dry wood termites consume wood from inside out. A hollow or papery sound will be heard when you tap or knock on a spot that has termite damage. In fact, it is another sign of termite infestation because part or all the wood inside has been chewed away.
It is time for you to call for Detail Pest Control termite treatment if you notice any of those signs we shared above to get rid of the infestation completely.