Floridas Three Types of Destructive Termites
Florida property owners have had fears of the effects of termite infestations for years and for a very good reason. Termites feed on wood and can be very destructive to any structure that has wood in it.
Termites can cause serious structural damage and must be exterminated by a trained and experienced termite professional. It is important to identify which species of termite is in your home before you begin pest control treatments. The three main species of termites affecting Florida are drywood, dampwood and subterranean termites.
Drywood termites often remain undetected.Sometimes it can be difficult to find the termites and all you see are the residual effects: structural damage and fecal pellets. Nesting in dry wood, drywood termites do not need water and are rarely seen by people. They can live their entire life cycle on a piece of wood. The termites have a yellow-brown coloring and swarm at night during the warmer months. Drywood termites are larger in size and maintain a relatively low population compared with the other types of termites.
Dampwood termites will weaken wooden structures over time. Unlike drywood termites, dampwood termites require moisture and wet wood for survival. Living in mostly tropical areas, Florida is an ideal home for dampwood termites. The dampwood termite is much larger than its termite counterparts and may be up to 1” long. Infestations often occur in structures where the wood is in direct contact with a water source such as old gutters or near plumbing leaks.
Subterranean termites are the most damaging of all types of termites. Initially imported from China and Taiwan, subterranean termites are a major problem in the southern states. Instead of nesting in wood, subterranean termites nest in soil. Subterranean termites have the reputation as the super termite because of their large colonies and the rapid rate at which they consume wood. When the nest is full, swarmers find new structures to nest in and the process begins again. Subterranean termites have a yellow coloring that can vary in brightness from termite to termite. They require moisture to live and typically inhabit wet wood or wood around plumbing areas.
Termite exterminators can deal with all three types of termite.If you know you have termites, you probably already have experienced some structural damage and you do not want the problem to get worse. To remove the termite nest and stop the damage, call a Brevard County termite exterminator at the first sign of termites.
Using green pest control techniques in conjunction with chemical sprays, the exterminator will eliminate the termite population. After the infestation has been removed, it is important to continue to fix any moisture problems that are welcoming to a drywood, dampwood or subterranean termite.
You can make your home a less attractive target with the help of an exterminator. Like many pest control issues, a termite infestation can be stopped before it begins with a few prevention measures.
