All households dread termite infestation. Termites are eusocial insects. They feed on any woodwork and concrete that is used in building houses and make the structure extremely weak. Termites like to live in warm, damp and dark places. Their habit of remaining concealed inside the walls of houses often makes it extremely difficult to detect them until it is too late.
In our country, termites have been terrorizing people for years and years. People spend close to five billion dollars in combating the problem of termites annually. Thus, it’s important to know the warning signs of termites to know how to get rid of them.
However, there are a few warning signs of termites that people can look out for in order to avoid a termite infestation. Some of them include:
- Maze-like patterns in furniture and floorboards
Termites move in colonies by creating tunnel-like structures in wood. These structures might be noticeable in some cases, and immediate action should be taken to destroy them. This is the biggest warning sign of termites. - Hollow sounding walls
When the termite infestation has reached a very high level of danger, the walls of the house might start sounding hollow. This is a warning sign of termites. - Sagging and loose floorboards and tiles
Since the termites eat away the wood and concrete underneath the tiles, they begin to sag. - Peeling paint that resembles water damage is another common sign of a termite infestation.
- Molds of dry wood termite pellets
The fecal matter of termites is called pellets. It often looks like heaps of salt and pepper. - Mud tubes climbing the foundation or walls of homes
These mud tubes are important for termites as they protect them from external intruders. The wider these tubes look, the more dangerous they are. Their thickness varies from 10 to 50 millimeters.
These are some of the common warning signs of termites. However, there are many more signs of termites that vary from region to region. One should look out for such signs and closely monitor the condition of wood in order to prevent any serious problems caused by termites.