Subterranean termites are usually the best-known species of these famous Australian insects. This is largely due to the big mounds they create to harbour their colonies. Nonetheless, both drywood and dampwood termites — which are much less visible — also cause a great deal of disturbance, sometimes burrowing into people's living areas. Therefore, you might like to seek out the professional advice of a termite control expert if you know they are present in your neighbourhood. In the meantime, what are the basic things that distinguish them?
Dampwood Termites
Finding this type of termite is relatively easy if they are present close by. You only need to look under a pile of firewood or close to a rotting tree stump, and they will be visible. These insects can move into your home, so do not tolerate them if you discover them. A variety of dampwood termite control measures can be put in place in the home, but it is better to act before they start to come inside.
Dampwood termites swarm when they are looking for new places to colonise. However, this behaviour is rare and they only do it from time-to-time. When this happens, they could have consumed all the damp timber in their previous home. This means they might be looking for a place to live in your household. Dampwood termites feed on the timber they live in, so make sure your home's woodwork is never damp — an important termite control measure. You should also remove piles of firewood you may have leaning up against your house.
Drywood Termites
This type of termite can survive in colonies of up to a thousand or more, and they like to nest in either soft or hardwood. The big difference with dampwood termites is that they can tolerate drier timbers. Despite this, they still obviously need a small amount of moisture to survive. Therefore, you should make sure you have the wood in your house is not exposed to water from leaky guttering, for example. An effective termite treatment is to paint all of your woodwork to protect it from the elements as well as these insects.
Just like dampwood termites, you will often see holes in your wood if they are present. Old paint finishes may also bubble up as they devour your wooden structures. A good way to detect them is by pressing your ear up against the wall. This is because they make clicking noises inside the wood that is audible to humans. Even if you cannot see them, then you will know they are there and can take the appropriate termite control response.
Reach out to a pest control company to learn more about termite control.
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