TERMITES

What's covered in the inspection?

Termite Treatment

Termites 101

Termite Pictures

The termite inspection includes all HUD/FHA and VA required Wood Destroying Insects prevalent to Southeastern Ohio.

Subterranean Termites: are the number one wood-destroying insect in the United States; hence, it's name is often attached to the so called "termite report" Subterranean termites are the most common and economically important wood-destroying organisms in the United States.  Termites feed on materials that contain cellulose, primarily dead wood and wood by-products.  Subterranean termites are closely associated with the soil habitat where they excavate a network of tunnels through the soil to reach water and food.  Termites need moisture to survive.

Beetles: Powder Post Beetles- small beetles whose larvae feed in hard wood such as oak.  Old House Borers whose larvae feed in soft wood timbers.  Only the larvae feed on wood.  They generally prefer wood in cool locations with moisture levels above 14 percent.  Powder Post Beetles are the most common beetles infesting crawl spaces and outbuildings.  Female beetles usually lay fewer than fifty eggs under wood splinters, in cracks, or in old exit holes.  When the larvae change into adults, they chew round exit holes between 1/16 of an inch in diameter.  The male and female emerge together and mate, and the female deposits her eggs. Though the females fly well and can lay eggs at new locations, they are most likely to lay their eggs on the wood from which they emerged.  These beetles take 2 to 3 years to complete their development.

Carpenter Bees: Common nesting sites include eaves, window trim, fascia boards, siding, wooden shakes, decks and outdoor furniture.  Carpenter bees tunnel into the wood and lay their eggs. You will notice perfectly round and smooth holes in wood which most often make a 90 degree turn, making long interior tunnels, and with the grain of the wood to develop their larvae.  The entrance hole is usually.  Carpenter Bees prefer untreated wood or well-weathered wood.  Look for piles of sawdust under the holes.  You will often see them going in and out.

Carpenter Ants: Possible when moisture is common in the area.  These ants set up colonies and galley in moist wood in trees, firewood, and fence posts, but they don't eat the wood.  Inside, they build colonies in wall voids, foam insulation, eaves, crawl spaces behind siding, in attic insulation and many other places. They forage at night during summer, however they often invade structures in spring and fall looking for food sources. Many times you can find these ants swarming inside, especially around lights and windows.

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MORE ABOUT TERMITES

Termites 101 - Subterranean termites are social insects that live in colonies these colonies may contain thousands of termites. Termite colony members are dispersed throughout the soil and can extend underground tunnels (shelter tubes) hundreds of feet to reach feeding sites. Each termite colony contains three forms or castes, which are the workers, soldiers, and reproductive termites. These castes are physically distinct and perform different tasks in the termite society. Workers are about 1/8 inch long and are blind, wingless, soft-bodied, creamy white to grayish-white with a round head. Workers are the most numerous individuals in a termite colony, and they are the termite caste that actually eats the wood. These sterile individuals forage for food and water, construct and repair shelter tubes, feed and groom other termites, care for eggs and young, and participate in colony defense. Soldiers are also wingless and resemble workers except that they have a large, rectangular, yellowish-brown head with large mandibles (jaws). The soldiers’ primary function is colony defense. Male and female reproductive termites can be winged or wingless. Each can produce new offspring. The eastern subterranean termite is the most common termite in Ohio and its alates are black and about 0.4 inch long, with pale or grayish, translucent wings.

In the United States, subterranean termites are found in every state except Alaska. They are most abundant in warmer climates, where structural infestations are common. Subterranean termites are the most economically important wood-destroying pests in the United States. They are, however, important components of natural forest ecosystems, where they break down cellulose. Unfortunately, when land is cleared for human habitation the termites present may eventually pose a threat to the wood used in construction because their natural food resources have been removed.

The illustration below shows the entry point’s termites may use to enter the structure, and indicates the different levels of a termite colony; an average colony could consist of 250,000 termites or more.

*Realtor Listed Termite Services 

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TERMITE PICTURES

 The photos above show a landscape timber on the surface it seems normal when flipping it over termites had most of the timber gone. Note the active worker termites (white areas)

 The photos above show termite shelter tubes

The photo above is a termite shelter tube hanging down from a ceiling, notice the cracked plaster this is from the termites had eaten most of the 2 x 6 ceiling supports.

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*Our wood destroying insect services are only for Realtor® related properties.