Termite Control Protection & Treatment

Termites have thrived on our planet for the past 250 million years. Technically, there are three major types of terrestrial termites in the United States: drywood; subterranean (ground); and Formosan. All types of termites survive by ingesting cellulose, found in wood and wood products. Termites live within highly organized social colonies much like their biggest adversary, the ant.

Drywood
Drywood termites like to live above the soil. They are most typically found in wooden structures such as furniture, trees, and house walls and floors. Once these types of termites have established their domain they are difficult to eradicate. They are hard to detect until they have already caused substantial damage because oftentimes, the damage is not visibly apparent from the outside. As they eat away at wood they weaken the structure of the object they are devouring. These colonies eat wood 24 hours a day, so they can cause tremendous damage if unchecked. But unfortunately, this damage is incredibly difficult to detect early on. Even trained professionals often struggle to discover their entry point in order to eradicate an infestation of drywood termites.

The drywood termite is especially dangerous because these types of termites can have thousands of members in a single colony. They do not just eat wood, either. They are known to also eat through wallpaper, plastic, and even plant based fabrics. Because they prefer to live above the soil they do not require moisture like some other types of termites. For this reason, they can build colonies away from the soil, in nests and tunnels burrowed into trees, homes and other buildings.


Formosan
The Formosan termite is considered the most destructive of all types. It is actually labeled by some as one of the types of termites that fall under the subterranean category. Formosan colonies can be hundreds of feet long and have thousands of members. Their members are classified into three distinct types, each of which performs a specific function in the colony. There are workers, soldiers, and reproductives (kings and queens). These particular types of termites are so powerful in their destructive ability that they can actually destroy a home's foundation within only a few months. It is critical to get help dealing with these types of termites as quickly as possible.

Formosan termites are nicknamed the "super termite" by some because of their awesome destructive ability and also due to their rapid reproductive process. They are known to eat wood, plastic and even metal, and their queens can lay hundreds of eggs or more in a single day. They do great damage by eating through a home's walls. One telling sign of a Formosan termite infestation is a bulging wall. These types of termites can devour more material more quickly than other types, so it is critical to respond quickly by consulting an expert as soon as you suspect an infestation.


Subterranean
Subterranean termites have the largest colonies of all species. Their colonies can actually number into the millions, incredibly enough. Similar to the Formosan termite, these types of termites eat wood, plastic, wallpaper, and fabric made out of plant materials. They are dependent upon the soil for survival. They prefer to live underground or in damp places like rotted trees. Every spring groups of these types of termites fly off to start new colonies. They are known to eat through almost anything, including plastic pipes, subflooring, insulation, and many other objects.

Subterranean termites are known simply as the ground termite in some circles. They make tunnels up to the ground from their colonies in order to reach their food. These tunnels can be a sign of termite activity for these types of termites.

This broad category includes some subcategories that some experts prefer to divide them into because of certain varying geographical boundaries and specific characteristics each subgroup displays. These common group designations are eastern, western, and desert subterranean termites. Each of these three types can be studied independently for its particular traits, but each of these types of termites is considered a pest and all of them are extremely destructive to homes.