Termites serve a very important role in nature. Because they eat dead wood, they are part of the cleanup process and the fertilization of soil. However, when these insects meet our settlements, their natural drive to consume dead wood leads them to destroy our homes.

Subterranean termites

Subterranean termites infest the home to find new sources of food. Unlike other species, these termites build their nests underground, where they can expand at will, often reaching tens of thousands of members in size.

They are particularly interested in wood that is slightly higher in moisture, and they will be able to build above ground tunnels or tubes to travel across obstacles. When they infest the home, they can field thousands of workers at once, which is why these termites are the most damaging in the US.

Drywood termites

Drywood termites differ from subterranean termites in two main ways – they build their colonies inside wood, and they prefer wood that is low in moisture content. This means that drywood termites will often infest parts of the home that would otherwise be left untouched by the subterranean termites.

On top of that, these termites spread their colonies through swarmers, which are winged termites that can fly and land anywhere on the house. So you could very well have a termite infestation somewhere on your roof or even in your furniture when you are dealing with drywood termites.

Dampwood termites

Dampwood termites are very similar to drywood termites, with the exception that this species prefers wood that is very high in moisture content. The type of wood that they prefer is usually found around an active water source, such as a leaky pipe. If you notice this type of wood in your home or if you have any moisture issues, you have to be careful, because these termites will spread to healthy wood once they’ve set up a foothold, and when a dampwood termite infestation becomes widespread, the home will have to be fumigated.

All of these species are treated using different methods, which is why it’s important for a pest control pro to perform an inspection and determine the species responsible. For more information about the various termite pest species in the country and how they are controlled, or if you suspect that you have one of these species in your home, contact us today and one of our team members will help you out.