3 Mistaken Beliefs About Termite Infestations

If you suspect your home or property has termites, you want to call for pest control right away. Termites can quickly and easily do quite a bit of costly damage to your home, garage and any other wood structure on your property, including your beautiful trees!

As dangerous as termites are, some homeowners have mistaken ideas about these insects and how they get onto the property, as well as about what areas of a home may be in danger of damage. Note a few of those mistaken beliefs about termite infestations here, so you can ensure you're protecting your home from potential damage.

Exterior termites

If you notice what appears to be a termite infestation outside your home, such as along an old tree stump or firewood pile, you might assume that it's best to leave the insects undisturbed so that they don't make their way into your home. This is actually the opposite of what you should do; termites tend to keep moving and burrowing, always looking for moisture and a fresh food source, and they could easily make their way from that outside wood to your home itself. Have a pest control expert treat termites on your property no matter where they're nested so your home is protected.

Delivery of firewood

If you buy firewood for your home, you may assume that termites might be infesting that wood and could then make their way to your home. In truth, termites don't nest in the wood that is their food source; instead, workers or soldiers move back and forth from the wood to their nest. Once those workers are separated from the nest or the rest of the colony, they die off, as they cannot reproduce. However, remember that the firewood you buy from an outside source may eventually attract termites if you don't store it properly once it's arrived on your property.

Types of woods they eat

Some homeowners assume that termites only feed on certain types of wood, perhaps because these insects often eat through a home's framework more often than they do timber flooring or cabinets. However, termites will eat through virtually any type of wood, including hardwood or exotic species like bamboo or teak. The only exception would be very dense wood that termites cannot chew through; for example, a timber frame made of dense, airtight beams may be safe from termites. Otherwise, don't assume that your bamboo floor, teak outdoor furniture, or mahogany cabinets won't attract these insects.

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