Facts about Termites

• Termites cause approximately 3 billion dollars of damage to structures each year
• There are over twenty-one hundred species of termites.
• Subterranean termites, the most common kind, live in the soil, from just below the surface to as much as 12 feet down.
• A queen termite can live up to 25 years and lay thousands of eggs a day.
• Like ants, termites live in colonies. Up to two million termites inhabit a colony.
• Worker termites keep busy 24 hours a day digesting wood fibers and other forms of cellulose which they eat, digest and share with the other members of the colony.
• Once a food source is located, a trail pheromone is deposited to recruit other termites to the food source.
• Termites live in highly organized colonies that are interconnected by extensive tunnels.
• Termites Live in 49 of the 50 United States.

Warning signs

If you own a home, it was probably inspected for termites when you purchased it. But just because there weren’t termites found then, doesn’t mean you can forget about them. Learn the signs that indicate these pests have moved into the area and you will be able to handle the situation before it becomes a significant problem. When structural damage becomes visible, it’s usually the result of years of termite infestation.
There are generally two types of termites which are of concern to homeowners: subterranean and non-subterranean (drywood and powderpost) termites. Non-subterranean termites such as powderpost or drywood termites are generally confined to one structural member of a building or piece of furniture, where as subterranean termites usually nest in the soil and are the termites homeowners fear most.

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