Termites are masters of acting without being noticed. A termite infestation will often go unnoticed for years, until the damage done is extensive. This is why termite infestations will often go unnoticed in a neighborhood until someone in the area detects an infestation.
How different termite species spread
Different termite species have different ways of spreading. Drywood and dampwood termites will build their colonies inside of wood, and from these colonies, when they reach maturity, they will send out swarmers. Swarmers are winged termites that fill a reproductive role – they are basically future kings and queens. The swarmers fly out, mate, and then look for a suitable piece of wood to nest in. If one of your neighbors has one of these two species in their home, and the colonies have reached maturity, then you may start to notice these swarmers buzzing around your property. Most of these swarmers will die without building a colony, but some may succeed and they may succeed in your home.
There are also subterranean termites, which, as the name suggests, build their colonies underground. These colonies can get massive, and they will often require multiple sources of wood in order to feed the entire workforce. If one of your neighbors’ homes is infested by this species, then it is much more likely that your home is infested as well. On top of that, these termites are controlled using a chemical barrier, which will not kill the colony – it will simply cut the colony off from the infested home. This means that the colony will be on the lookout for new pieces of wood to infest, since they can no longer reach your neighbor, and they may spread to your home.
What to do if there is an infestation in your neighborhood
If someone in your neighborhood has a termite infestation, the best way to make sure that your home is safe is to call over a pest control pro who will perform an inspection. You should also talk to your neighbor and find out which termite species infested their home and how they controlled it. If they had a subterranean termite infestation and they destroyed the colony using a baiting system, your home is most likely safe.
Contact us today to set up an inspection appointment for termites if there are termite problems in your neighborhood, and we will send one of our team members over right away.
