Swami Pest Control

Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damage each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and windstorm combined.

Problems occur when termites attack the wooden elements of human structures - homes, businesses and warehouses. Their presence is not readily noticed because they hide their activity behind wallboards, siding or wood trim.

Homeowners in all areas of Texas should watch for subterraneantermites and take precautions to prevent infestations. To minimize damage from termites, it is helpful to know the description and infestation signs of termites.

Each year we receive hundreds of calls in the spring and fall from people who are concerned they have termites swarming. In some cases the winged culprit is a swarming ant. The differences between a winged ant and a swarming termite are shown below.

The bodies of termite swarmers are black while ant swarmers may be brown, black or red. Termite swarmers are typically much smaller than ant swarmers and have a much shorter life span out of the soil. In addition, termite swarmers have straight antennae, no constriction at the waist and both pairs of wings are equal in size.

If you are still unsure what insect you have found, give us a call or send us an E-mail. We can set an appointment to have one of our termiteprofessionals help you determine if you have termites or any other infestation.

What Termites Eat

structural beams

cabinets

wood paneling

baseboards

wood flooring wallpaper

plastics

sheet rock

paper products

Subterranean termites live in colonies in the ground, building vertical tunnels that look like mud tubes above ground level so that they can search for food. Because subterraneantermites will die if exposed to air for an extended period of time, the tunnels provide protection from the open air, allowing workers to carry food to the nest.

Subterranean termites can form tunnels through cracks in concrete, so slab homes are not exempt from these termites. They need to stay in contact with the soil in order to survive, unlike drywood termites that only need low moisture.

The size of a worker is 1/8- to 3/8-inch in length. The soldier body is similar to that of the worker, but large, deck head with powerful mandibles. The color of a worker is pale, cream colored. Soldiers are light colored with brown head.