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Norwalk's Progressive Guide to Identifying Termite Infestations

May 15, 2022 - Termites

termite crawling on wood and chewing

What's worse than a large beast tearing through your home destroying all of your belongings? A tiny pest destroying your home from the inside out—without your knowledge. Termites often go for months, or even years, unnoticed. In Norwalk, we're talking about subterranean termites. They live underground and in tunnels that they build to gain access to their food source: wood. You may never see a termite, but a colony could be causing extensive damage to your home. For the best termite protection in Norwalk, give us a call today to schedule your inspection. 

Termites: The Invisible Pest?

Why is it so difficult to identify termites? Partly because they are so small. Termites are tiny pests, so even if you know where to look, you might not spot them. As I mentioned before, the most common species of termites you'll encounter in Norwalk are subterranean termites. They build their nests underground and only come up with the help of tiny, well-hidden tunnels. They spend their days chewing away at the wooden structures of homes. Thankfully, they aren't actually invisible. You may be able to identify them using the guide here, or you can call the professionals from Insecta x Total Pest Solutions to help you inspect your home for termites.

Identifying Termites

Termite workers are small, ant-like bugs that are often white or light brown. Workers are sometimes called "white ants," and they do the bulk of the work, as you can guess from their name. They build tunnels and find food. They die if they come into the open, so you aren't likely to spot them.

If you're in the right place at the right time, you may see termite swarmers or notice their discarded wings near doors and windows. These termites are slightly larger and have wings. They emerge in the spring to find a mate and start new colonies. If you see a large group of swarmers near your house, it probably means you already have a termite colony living nearby. If you just see one or two, it means they are looking for a place to build a new nest.

Checking for Termites in Your Home

Another way to identify termites is to look for evidence of their presence in your home. The following are telltale signs you have a termite problem: 

  • Tunnels: You can try to find the tunnels which they use to get back and forth from their underground nests to the wood inside your home. These look like mud tubes the size of a pencil. You could spot them around the foundation of your home, on basement walls, in crawl spaces, and along the walls in areas of high humidity. 
  • Swollen wood: Termites produce moisture that, over time, will cause wood to swell. If your doors or windows are uncharacteristically sticking, you want to look for other signs of a termite problem. 
  • Hollow-sounding wood: Tap on support beams. If it sounds hollow, termites may have eaten away at its core. 
  • Clicking signs inside wood. Listen carefully for clicking sounds inside support beams or other wood in your home. 

Termites are silent destroyers. Therefore, if you notice signs of a termite problem, an infestation is likely well underway. Therefore, it's time to reach out to your local pest control company. Insecta x Total Pest Solutions has comprehensive termite control options to help you eliminate and defend against these destructive pests. 

Keeping Your Home Termite Free

To keep your home safe, the best option is to call  Insecta x Total Pest Solutions. You can take some preventative measures such as keeping soil from touching the exterior walls of your home or promptly fixing water-damaged wood and moisture issues. However, to avoid termite damage,  Insecta x Total Pest Solutions offers state-of-the-art baiting systems. Bait treatment attracts termites and installs a poison that termites will carry back to the rest of the colony. Once you've learned how to identify termites, you need to know how to get rid of them. Fortunately, as a local pest control company in Norwalk, we understand the community and the need for comprehensive, customized termite control. Reach out to us today to learn more about our termite control options!

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