Termites have been considered as one of the culprits responsible for bringing devastating damage to houses and buildings. Given the fact that structural problems caused by termites will take effect several years from the time of their infestation, it is but important to take action as early as possible.
Overview on Termites
Often times, people would associate termites with ants. But with previous termite studies and termite identification done by experts, it was proven that termites are actually insects that belong to Isoptera, a family of social insect living in colonies. One remarkable characteristic of insects belonging in Isoptera class is the need to have a cellulose rich diet. Cellulose is believed to provide a large amount of energies to termites. Generally, termites find cellulose in the form of dead plants. One rich source of cellulose from dead plants is wood. This explains why most termites can be found on houses, literally eating parts of your house that are made of wood.
Detecting Termites
The first sign of detecting termites is the presence of swarm. Termites are social insects, so basically they travel in a group to find a place where they can form a colony. The next sign that you should look for are the fecal matters produced by these insects. These fecal matters appear to be shiny, thin, rounded strips and are usually found on woods. Last sign would be the hollow tunnels that can be spotted in your walls or floorings. These tunnels are actually created by termites to serve as their path as well as protection to heat and dryness. Being a weak creature, these insects cannot afford to be dried up, thus the creation of the tunnels. Once you detect one of these signs, or worst all of it, there is a great possibility that termites are indeed starting to infest the woods in your house. Termite control should be done immediately. But before the actual controlling of the termites, it is best to learn the proper way of termite identification.
Guide to Identifying Termites
In conducting a termite control, it is best that proper termite identification should be done first. Accurately identifying the termites pestering your homes would help in choosing the right kind of chemical that will be used to effectively eliminate the termites. There are certain guidelines to be followed to accurately go over with termite identification. Termites are often differentiated with ants since these two creatures resemble the same appearance. Unlike ants, termites have a more straight form of waist. Ants, on the other hand, have an obvious curved waist. Termites also have a unique body shape as compared to most insects. Termite’s abdomen is linked with its head but in a segmented manner. Termites are also looking more fragile as compared to the hard and tough appearance of ants. Both ants and termites have antennae; however, termites can be distinguished through their straight looking antennae. Both creatures have almost exact appearance of wings. But if observed closely, you can notice that termites have same wing length. These are just guidelines in identifying termites. But if you want to accurately determine the type of termites in your house, asking for a professional help is still the best option.
