There are about 45 different termite species in the US, but only a small part of them will target the home. Let’s take a look at the different termite pest species in the US and what you can expect when they infest your home.
Drywood termites
When it comes to drywood termites, their name will tell you why these termites are special – they are only drawn to drywood. This is different from most other termite species which are mainly attracted to wood that is high in moisture. What this means for your home is that drywood termites will target areas of the building that would usually be unaffected by other species.
Luckily, these termites build their colonies directly inside the wood that they consume, which means that it takes a long time for an infestation to get going and do a lot of damage, and it also means that the control methods used to deal with these termites are, in general, very inexpensive. However, if they do manage to spread throughout the home, then the building will need to be tented and fumigated, which is the most expensive termite control procedure out there.
Dampwood termites
Dampwood and drywood termites are very similar, in that they both build their colonies inside the wood that they infest, they are easy to treat initially, and they require fumigation when they spread throughout the home. However, dampwood termites will only target wood that is very high in moisture content – for example, wood that is near a leaky pipe or a clogged gutter. Once set up, they are able to spread to wood that is drier, and the infestation can grow to huge proportions.
Subterranean termites
Subterranean termites are the most destructive termite pest species in the US, because they are able to build very large colonies underground. When these colonies find wood, they won’t need time to grow like the previous two species. Instead, a colony will field hundreds, if not thousands of workers at once to start harvesting the wood, and this allows the subterranean termites to cause a lot of damage in the home, very quickly. These termites are also treated differently from the previous two species, usually with a chemical barrier and a baiting system. For more information about the various termite pest species out there, or if you suspect that you have an infestation, contact us today and we will help you out.
