Habitat and Other Termite Characteristics

The termite name usually indicates the habitat of the insect. While a subterranean termite colony will always be found underground, the drywood termite colony is usually found inside dry wood.

Drywood termites are better evolved to handle dehydration as compared to the subterranean termites. Because of their special adaptation and evolutionary advantage over subterranean termites, they easily survive and flourish terrestrially. Their need for moisture is minimal; even dry wood has sufficient moisture to sustain them. However, like subterranean termites, drywood termites are also very social creatures with high social organization and hierarchy.

Swarms of drywood termites can be seen any time of the year. A strong evidence that indicates presence of drywood termites is accumulation of loose, shed wings at the bottom of a window sill. This is a clear alarm and beginning of impending damage – as by this time, the termites would have already shed wings and burrowed into your furniture or woodwork.

Termites Are a Major Cause of Worry

While in nature, termite nests can usually be found in dead leaves, dead trees or dead sections thereof, in woodpile, or any wood which is dead; in buildings they start their attack from wooden windows and doorways. They are also commonly found in the foundations or the subterranean part under the house. Houses which have wooden sides are especially vulnerable because of the presence of numerous crevices and cracks.

Presence of termites in a wall, floor or wood is generally indicated by a pile of pellets that keep on appearing even upon wiping them out. This is termite excreta and is a certain giveaway of damaging termite activity.

A termite colony generally starts when the winged, fertile reproductives called alates, are released from another mature colony nearby.Subsequent to release from the old colony, the pair of reproductive needs a place for nesting – easily provided by a crevice, corner or a crack. These nests are remarkable in their construction – and are built using a combination of soil, cellulose, faeces and saliva. The main functions of a nest are to protect the young, to collect and retain water and to facilitate reproduction.

Once established, a colony initially has relatively few members and grows slowly, but steadily. But the growth soon picks up and it is very likely that within a few years, a colony may have several thousand individual members; some of them would become alates who would multiply elsewhere that could hollow out the frame around the location of first contact. Their tunnels and galleries may well extend into wall frames in every direction, into foundation woodwork, wooden floors and into the ceiling.

Drywood Termite Extermination

You need an expert help to control drywood termite. Find an Atlanta termite exterminator who has specialization in controlling drywood termite invasion. Do the detailed inquiry about the methods they will be using and their credibility. This will help you to pick the most suitable professional for effective drywood extermination.