HOW TO IDENTIFY TERMITES
Every house with a wooden structure or wooden furniture may have had a problem with termites. Termites can eat away an entire wooden structure.
Knowing basics about termites will help in combating them in a better way and to protect your home from the damage these pests pose.
Appearance
Termites’ approximate size ranges from ¼ of an inch to ½ inch; they have soft bodies and pale white/beige color. Kings and queens are relatively larger than worker and soldier termites an can be up to 1 inch long. They are also darker in color. Reproductive termites have two pairs of wings which they shed later.
Termites are usually confused with ants but unlike ants, they have a straight waist and straight antenna.
Behavior
Termites just like ants are social insects and live in colonies. Theirs is a very structured colony possessing different castes, king, and queen, each performing their respective roles for the protection of their colony. Termites use vibration and pheromones to communicate with each other.
Signs
Common signs which indicate termites’ infestation at your place are:
- Cracks in walls
- Hollow sounded wooden structures, furniture or floor
- Finding termite droppings
- Mud tubes on walls