There are thousands of species of termites around the world, but in the US, only a handful are responsible for home infestations, and of those handful, only two are representative in the majority of cases – the drywood and subterranean termites. Of the two, the subterranean termites cause the most damage per year, but drywood termites are awful in their own way. Let’s take a look at these two species and the differences between them.
Subterranean termites
The most widespread termite species in the US, subterranean termites are found in all states with the exception of Alaska, and they are responsible for over $5 billion in damages each year. These termites will build sprawling colonies underground and then tunnel in a wide area looking for food. This is why you can have a single colony infesting multiple buildings in a neighborhood.
Getting subterranean termites under control requires either the use of liquid barriers or baiting systems. Both of these methods are designed to specifically target this species, which makes identification an important part of the pest control process.
Signs of a subterranean termite infestation include the presence of mud tubes in crawlspaces or near the foundation of the home, and the presence of swarmers. Subterranean termites need the moisture of the earth to survive, so they never actually leave their tunnels to venture out into the open. Instead they build tubes of mud whenever they need to go above ground to find wood. Luckily, this makes it easier to detect an infestation.
Drywood termites
Unlike subterranean termites, drywood termites do not need to maintain contact with the ground and this allows them to build their colonies inside the wood itself as they eat it. This makes them much harder to detect, and in some cases, the only way you can tell that there is an infestation present is when the damage to the wood becomes visible. You will also need to use completely different control methods to deal with a drywood termite infestation, with spot on treatments and in-wood baiting systems being preferred.
Being able to tell the difference between the two species is essential if you want to successfully control them. This is where we come in. Contact us today if you are dealing with a termite infestation and you need someone to get rid of it quickly and effectively.