Termite Identification

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Having a termite infestation can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. They cause over $5 billion in damages to homes in the United States each year which makes it important to be able to identify and quickly remove termite infestations. Termites can be easily confused for other insects, especially winged ants causing many people to ignore termite infestations until it is too late.

What Do Termites Look Like?

Termites are often mistaken for flying ants and are not treated seriously when spotted in a home. Not being about to identify a termite vs other insects can cause a homeowner thousands of dollars in repairs to their home. There are two main types of termites in the United States, drywood and subterranean termites that will infest your home.

Subterranean Termite

Body: Long and narrow ribbed body without noticeable body segments
Head: Large, oval-shaped head
Color: Light and creamy to dark brown coloring
Size: ⅛ inch
Mandibles: large, dark jaws
Antenna: 2 small straight antennae
Wings: 4 long oval wings. Only those who leave the nest to reproduce have wings.

Subterranean termites nest underground and are known for their tube-shaped burrows to keep them moist and move around beneath the soil. They do not nest in wood and prefer to eat softer parts of the wood. Subterranean termites often swarm during the daytime. These are the most common and most destructive termites you might find around your home.

Drywood Termite

Body: Long and narrow ribbed body without noticeable body segments
Head: Small, rounded head
Color: Light, creamy to black coloring.
Size: ⅜ to 1 inch
Mandibles: Small, lightly colored jaws.
Antennae: 2 small straight antennae
Wings: 4 long oval wings. Only those who leave the nest to reproduce have wings.

Drywood termites live in healthy wood and prefer to eat through hard pieces of wood, unlike subterranean termites. They like to nest in roofs, walls, and sometimes even in furniture in your home and will usually swarm at night. They can be extremely difficult to get rid of since they nest in the wood compared to subterranean termites that nest in the soil around homes.

Signs of a Termite Infestation

Termites are responsible for billions of dollars in damage to homes every year. These damaging insects should be removed from your home as quickly as possible. If you see any of the following signs, you may have a termite infestation and should call a trusted exterminator:

- Difficulty opening windows and doors: Termites like to target the wood around doors and windows. As they damage the wood around a window or door it will warp the wood making them difficult to open
- Irregularities in paint: When termites eat the wood behind your walls you might notice bubbling paint, pinholes in paint, and small dented lines on your walls.
- Finding swarmers and discarded wings: Swarmer termites will emerge from their colonies to breed and establish new colonies. Finding live swarmer termites or piles of their wings is an early telltale sign of a termite infestation
- Piles of droppings: If you have drywood termites, you might find piles of frass or termite droppings. They will often look like piles of wood shavings.
- Mud tubes: Subterranean termites build mud tubes to keep from drying out as they move around. Finding mud tubes around the outside of your home is a clear sign of a termite infestation.

Getting Rid of Termites

If you believe you have termites in your home, it is important to treat an infestation quickly. Termites can eat through important pieces of structural wood in your home costing you thousands in repair bills. At Rocket Pest, we understand how devastating a termite infestation can be to a home. Our number one priority is to eliminate pests and keep them out for good. If you see signs of a termite infestation, call us today at 864-232-2406. We will quickly and effectively rid your home of termites for good!

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