You may have heard that spring is termite season. To most people, this would indicate that spring is the only time to worry about termites. Sadly, that's not the case. Termites are active all year long. It’s important to know common signs of late summer termite infestations if you want to keep your New Jersey home protected.
Termites eat cellulose which is found in wood products. That's why wood is often their primary source of food. While they’ll usually eat any type, termites are most attracted to rotting or water-damaged wood.
Understanding that termites spend the majority of their lives underground (or within the wood structures they eat) is important for a couple of reasons. If you have any wooden structures, such as porch beams, that have direct contact with the soil, termites are very likely to find them. Knowing that termites rarely come above ground can also help you understand why it's so challenging to spot termite damage. Most of it is hidden away out of sight.
Termites stay underground except in two instances. First, the swarmer termites come out in the open in the spring to mate. That’s why spring it’s called termite season. Second, termites will sometimes build tubes made of mud to get from the ground to another location if necessary. If they come out into the open, they'll dry out. The mud tubes protect them until they get to where they need to go.
Mud tubes - Since swarmer season is over, the only visible sign of termites at this time of year are mud tubes. These are most often found along the outside of your foundation walls or inside the walls in your basement. However, the absence of mud tubes does not necessarily mean there’s an absence of termites.
Damage to wood - If you have any areas around your home where wood comes in direct contact with the soil, it may be worth your time to dig down a little and check for termite damage. If you see holes in the wood or grooves along the sides, you likely have termites there.
Extensive damage in your home - We mentioned that mud tubes are the only visible signs of termites at this time of year, but that's not entirely true. If you have a significant termite problem in your house already, you may see your walls begin to bulge, your ceilings start to sag, or your floors start to buckle. These are signs of extensive, and potentially dangerous, damage.
If you see any signs of a termite infestation around your New Jersey home, it's vital to take action right away. You may be able to keep them from getting into your house if they haven't already. If they’re already inside, the faster you treat them, the less damage they’ll do.
Arrow Pest Control has the knowledge and experience to treat your termite problems, big or small. We offer free on-site home estimates where we do a thorough inspection inside and out to look for signs of termites. Our service technicians are trained to find the signs you might miss. Contact us to schedule a time for your free estimate.
If you’re looking for a program that protects your home and family from common household pests PLUS termites and other wood-destroying insects, we recommend Arrow Premier. With this program, you get quarterly pest control and a wood-destroying insect program in one package!
Pests targeted with Arrow’s Premier includes cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, earwigs, clover mites, millipedes, centipedes, crickets, ground beetles, boxelder bugs, ants (including carpenter ants, pharaoh ants and acrobatic), fleas (inside only), pillbugs, sow bugs, fruit flies, stored product pests, bees, wasps, hornets, carpenter bees (no higher than 10ft), mice, and rodents PLUS termites
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