TERMITE FACTS

TERMITE FACTS

1. Termites have been found across 70 percent of the world and have survived environmental changes for more than 250 million years, adjusting to most any climate.

2. Termites are found in every state in the United States except Alaska.

3. Termites feed on cellulose, which can be found in high moisture wood.

4. Americans spend more than $5 billion every year treating for termites and repairing the damage they cause.

5. Termite damage can go undetected for years.

6. Termite damage is not covered by most homeowners’ insurance policies.

7. Some termite species need only a space one-sixteenth of an inch wide - the thickness of a piece of paper -to enter a home.

8. Signs of a termite infestation include wood damage, such as small holes in wood; crumbling drywall; sagging doors; swarms of termites (usually occurring in spring); and piles of discarded wings.

9. There are five major types of termites throughout the United States: Eastern Subterranean termites, Western Subterranean termites, Desert Subterranean termites, Formosan Subterranean termites and Drywood termites.

10.Termites are secretive, so finding them is not always easy. They often live in out-of-the-way places where they silently eat wood from the inside out. By the time you have discovered you have termites, some damage has usually been done.

11.There are over 2,600 species worldwide.  Only about 5% are significant pests to structures.

12.Dampwood termites typically infest damp and decaying timber. They live in moist wood and do not require soil contact.  Dampwood termites produce fecal pellets that are an indication of infestation.

13.Termites are mobile all throughout their life, and no permanent central nest area exists. Therefore all termite castes can be found in any of the different sites occupied by a colony. Their activity is determined by food, moisture, and temperature. Movement is usually driven by one of these necessities. Termites feed on anything made of or containing cellulose, but can tunnel into non-cellulose containing material to get to their destination.  This behavior can be destructive to human activity.

14.Termites cause more damage than tornadoes, hail storms, wind storms, and hurricanes  combined.

15. Termites have been around for more than 240 million years. They adapt to ever changing environments. Termites are natures way to break down wood and return it to the soil.

16. Termites can not determine the difference between the wood in the forest where your home was built and the wood members of your home.

17. Termites can infest almost every part of your home.

18. Termites can enter your home through a crack or opening as thin as a piece of paper.

19.  Termites never stop working and eating. They work 24 hours a day.

20.  Termite colonies can average more than a million termites.