Of all the household pests, next to the spiders as among the most dangerous ones may be the hardy termite, consumer of timber and destroyer of buildings. This mighty little insect is very smart and over the millennia, it has developed crafty ways to access houses without the occupants knowing and here are some of their favourite ways to do just that.
- Inside Packaging – Termites feed on cellulose that is found in wood, paper and cardboard and a few empty boxes by the back door could be home to these sly insects. Leaving a lot of paper and cardboard in the attic is not recommended for this very reason. If you have just moved into your home, you should ask a local pest control company to carry out a thorough inspection and have some peace of mind.
- Through Mud Tubes – The termite burrows underground, creating mud tubes that serve as long tunnels that eventually end inside your home. The residue is a lot of small brown mounds, which are usually very close to the tunnel entrance. Much like the way we would be digging a tunnel, the dirt has to go somewhere and these guys have special ‘soldiers’ that are tasked with residue disposal.
- By Air – Yes, these amazing creatures can fly, at least some of them can and the non-flying type often hitch a ride and leave their host when they reach the right environment. Termites have evolved over millions of years and much like the cockroach, have developed amazing abilities. The only way to be certain that your home is pest-free is to call in a local pest control officer and let him take a look. The professional had an arsenal of tools to detect all species of pests, plus he has the equipment and solutions to exterminate them all.
- Underground Access – We have more than 300 species of termites and they can exist quite happily in soil, which means they can access your property without you ever knowing. Take a look at the area where your house leaves the foundations and look for small mounds of mud, which are tell-tale signs of termites. The best solution is to contact a Sunshine Coast termite inspection service and ask them to pay you a visit. For those outside Australia, you can locate pest specialists near you through Google search.
- Dead Trees – If you leave a few old trunks in the back garden, that’s like putting a neon sign up saying ‘great termite environment’ and the hop from there to your house is nothing to these hardy creatures. Any form of wood is a potential home for termites, take a walk around your house and check for timber of any kind, and that includes wet cardboard and paper.
As you can see, we are talking about a very formidable enemy in the form of termites and the best deterrent is to keep your property clean and watch out for dampness. Order a pest inspection to make sure, and they would implement techniques to deter pests in the future.
