Termites can seem like mysterious insects, particularly the termites in our area. We deal with subterranean termites which live in the ground, tunnel through the ground, and attack homes and businesses from the ground.
If you want to know whether or not you have termites on your property, guess where you should look first? You guessed it. The ground. Let’s take a look at how to find signs of termites in your yard, how to deter termites, and what is required to fully protect your property from termites.
Signs Of Termites In Your Yard
There are several ways to tell whether or not subterranean termites are on your property. All termite inspections should begin with the ground. But before we discuss where to look for termites, you need to know a little bit about termite identification. In our area, the termites we battle are Eastern subterranean termites.
Eastern subterranean termite workers are about ⅛ of an inch long and are pale in color. If you see them, you might think you’ve found fat, white ants. It is also possible that you might think you’ve found maggots—until you notice that they have legs.
Eastern subterranean soldiers are a little larger than the workers. They have dark orange heads and black pincers. They almost look like a backward earwig. If you know what an earwig is, it may help you with identifying these termites. Eastern subterranean swarmers are about ⅜ of an inch long and are black in coloration. They have white wings that stack on top of each other and hang past the end of these termites.
Where To Look For Termites In Your Yard
Now that you’ve brushed up on your termite identification, let’s talk about where you might find termites in your yard. Termite workers feed on wood, cardboard, and other materials with cellulose. Soldiers hang out with the workers and protect them. You may find both of these kinds of termites in the following places:
- Examine dead branches. Look between the branches and the soil, or break them and look inside.
- Move scrap wood aside and examine the soil.
- Chop into a stump or a log and look inside.
- Lift wood borders that are on the ground around your landscaping if you have them.
When you go looking for Eastern subterranean swarmers, you’ll need to search for these insects and also their wings. When swarmers mate, they shed their wings before tunneling into the ground.
- Rake mulch and look for swarmers that have not taken to the air yet.
- Remove leaves from under your deck or porch and examine the ground.
- Look for wings in shaded or damp locations on your property.
- Inspect spider webs for wings. Spider webs are nature’s sticky traps.
Other Signs To Look For During Termite Inspections
Now that you’ve searched your property for the kinds of termites that might be out there, it is time to look for other signs Eastern subterranean termites can leave for you to find.
Shelter Tubes
These are often wiggly mud lines that run up foundation walls. If you have a termite problem, this is how you’re likely to know it. Unfortunately, these shelter tubes aren’t always out in the open where you can see them. You’re likely to find them in dark, humid spaces. Get under your deck or get into the crawl space under your home, if you have one.
Signs Of Termite Damage
While most of the damage termites do is on the inside of the wood they feed on, you may be able to detect damage. Dig around fence posts, deck posts, and any point where there is wood-to-soil contact. If you see trenches in the wood, it is likely that you’ve found termite damage. You may also notice splintering. As supports give way, it can create a splintered appearance.
How To Deter Eastern Subterranean Termites
- Remove sources of wood from your yard.
- Elevate wood scraps, dead branches, firewood, and other sources that you wish to keep in your yard.
- Never bury wood in your yard.
- Address wood-to-soil contact on structures.
How To Prevent A Termite Problem
The best way to keep subterranean termites from damaging your property is to invest in a liquid termiticide treatment. This product is injected into the ground all the way around structures you want to protect. When termites pass through it, they are unable to detect it. They then share the active ingredient during the grooming process. This leads to colony elimination.
If you have questions about termite control or you’d like to learn how you can invest in termite control for your property, we’d love the opportunity to help you. Reach out to Innovative Pest Solutions for assistance. Our friendly and knowledgeable termite control professionals look forward to providing you with the answers you’re looking for.
