Types Of Termites : The Subterranean Termites To Bait Or Not To Bait
Termites, Which are also known as white ants, are a colony insect that primarily eat dead plant material but are most known for their like of wood. Only about ten percent of the types of termites are classified as pests and cause a lot of problems with buildings, crops, and forests. Amazingly enough not all of them are pests. In subtropical area and tropical areas termites are a very important part of the ecology.
The colonies termites live in range from several thousand to sometimes nearing tens of millions. Workers, soldiers, kings, queens and nymphs all live inside the average colony. Kings and queens are the reproductive termites and even though they are called by such royal names they are not necessarily the leaders of the colony. There might be multiple couples per colony. In the same way as ants the queens have very large abdomen and can have more then two thousand eggs a day. This abdomen hampers her mobility so she has worker termites always helping her.
There are several different kinds of termites, grouped according to what they eat. These are subterranean termites, drywood termites, dampwood termites, grass eating termites and soil-feeding termites. The ones most likely to cause damage to houses are drywood and subterranean types. All varieties eat primarily cellulose, but they rely on different types, which is why some species will literally eat you out of house and home and others are not a threat.
Since termites remain concealed while they do their work, it’s often hard to tell that they’re present until the timbers or other wooden parts of a structure have been seriously damaged. Of course, when there are termites in a building, they don’t just stop at eating wood. They’ll also damage anything else made from cellulose, including books and papers, fabric, carpets and more. They can also use soft materials in their nests, so don’t be surprised if termites also damage soft plastic, caulking, rubber, and even plaster.
Termites try to avoid environmental conditions that aren’t favorable to them, staying underground or in tunnels in wood when possible. If they have to cross a substrate they don’t like, they’ll build tubes or tunnels over it to travel in. Sometimes these tubes can be a number of yards long, extending up the outside of trees and structures. This is why termite barrier systems are able to keep them out of homes. This method of discouraging these pests keeps termites from having a concealed access to their favorite places, making them create tubes out in the open. Once you see these tubes, you can destroy them.
To avoid getting termites in your home, you should make sure that there are no timbers contacting the ground. Use a termite resistant foundation with barriers, but be aware that termites may bridge these. Inspect them regularly for shelter tubes. While poisoned soil barriers are available, they have undesirable side effects and should only be used if a physical method isn’t available. You can also treat susceptible timbers and use termite resistant woods. Paying close attention to the state of your home is the best way to avoid an infestation.
With some prevent defence you can make sure your house is safe from all types of termites. Good Luck
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