Subterranean termites are wood-destroying insects that establish nests underground and feed on the inside of wood. This makes them extremely difficult to detect. If these termites get into your Las Vegas home, you’re not likely to know it. But subterranean termites give you important warning signs. It is best to catch these signs before termites start to feed on your home. Here’s what you need to know.
Sign 1: Termite Swarmers
Have you heard of swarmers? Do you know that they are male and female reproductives that seek out areas to create new nests? If they choose your property, you could have some trouble on your hands. But swarmers are also an important warning sign.
What It Means When You See Swarmers
If you see swarmers, it could mean one of two things: It could mean that you’re about to have a termite infestation or it could mean that you’ve had a termite infestation for years. The key to understanding which warning sign you’re looking at is to consider how many swarmers you’re seeing.
Winged termites gather together after they exit the nest. This swarming behavior is designed to help females and males find a mate. They only swarm together for about 30 minutes. After this, they break off in pairs and search for nesting sites. If you see lots of termites on your home, it is a sign that you have a mature nest on your property or near your property. Swarms don’t travel far. But the appearance of one or two termite swarmers could be a sign of an impending infestation. Unfortunately, it is difficult to see termite swarmers. They’re only about ⅝ of an inch long. Keep an eye out for black insects with wings that are twice as long as their bodies and rounded at the tips.
Sometimes termite swarmers accidentally enter homes as they exit their nests. If you see winged termites all over the interior windows of your home, it is because they’re trying to get outside to the light. It also means you have a serious infestation that needs to be fixed.
Sign 2: Swarmer Wings
When winged termites mate, they shed their wings. These wings can be found on the ground around your home, particularly in damp locations. But a little-known location to check for wings is in spider webs underneath the structures on your property. Spiderwebs are like nature’s sticky traps. They’re great for helping to monitor for insect activity.
Sign 3: Shelter Tubes
Subterranean termite workers create mud from saliva and dirt to make tunnels up the sides of hard surfaces? These tunnels can be as thin as a pencil. Look for them in dark, moist locations on your property. If you find one, break a piece off and check back in a few days. If the section has been rebuilt, you have an active termite infestation. If it doesn’t grow back, those termites might not have found the food source they were hoping to. This means they might not have fed on your home at that spot. In either case, you should contact a licensed termite control professional to do a detailed inspection and suggest monitoring options.
Sign 4: Termite Damage
Most of the damage subterranean termites will do to your home will be done on the inside of the wood. Termite workers have a strong aversion to light and they avoid being exposed to the air. So the damage you’re likely to see won’t look like chewed wood. You’ll start to see drywall begin to bulge, floors beginning to sink, and doors and windows beginning to stick or open or close freely. By this time, it is too late to stop termites from damaging your home.
It Is Best To Not Wait For Signs
If you want to prevent termite damage, it is best to be proactive about detecting subterranean termites. The best way to do this is to have proactive termite control. For termite control you can trust in the Las Vegas area, reach out to Evolve Pest Control. We’re standing by to serve you.
