What are Termites, and How do They Work?

One of the biggest pest issues in the Florida area are termites, causing almost $1.5 billion in damage to wood structures. Even if your home is brick or stone, you still have you can still have wood supports, an outdoor wood fence, or even firewood. They also can damage carpets, paper, and even cloth, which is a good reason to call for Melbourne termite services. But what are termites, and how do they work?

Termites are a hive insect, much like ants and bees, and as a result divide the labor among groups. There’s a queen, whose primary responsibility is to lay eggs, but unlike ants and bees, termites will commonly have more than one queen. The queens lay the eggs, and the secondary queens will take over if the primary one is killed. However, there is only one king to a termite hive, and helps raise the younger termites.

As with ants and bees, termites also have a soldier class – in charge of defending the nest – and a worker class – in charge of building the nest, gathering the food, and tending to the eggs. The reproductive cast is typically the termites you will see, as they will swarm to find a new nest when the colony has outgrown its current one.

There are over 40 termite species in US. Florida is home to primarily the drywood termites – which, as the name implies, will be found in dry wood, while subterranean termites live in the soil and need moisture. Drywood colonies are frequently smaller than subterranean. Subterranean ones tend to swarm during the day, while drywood swarm at night. Finally, drywood termites eat across and with the wood grain, while subterranean ones leave a more honeycomb look in the wood.

In warmer climates such as Florida, termites can be active all year. Many people mistake termites for other insects, such as ants. Because it takes a while for the damage to show, it’s sometimes difficult to identify a termite infestation. Some of the warning signs include small holes or paint bubbles in the wood, a hollow sound when tapping at the wood, and termite tubes.

As a result of the difficulty of recognizing these pests, it’s recommended to use termite exterminators to help identify and control the termites. Since many Melbourne exterminators offer both termite and pest control, it’s doubly recommended if you actually see the bugs, as if it’s not termites, the company can still help solve your pest problem.