Both dry wood termites and underground termites can survive within San Diego city limits and are not limited to more rural areas. They chew on bricks, concrete, plastic, drywall, and other building materials to reach wooden fountains. Formosa termite, a type of underground termite, particularly affects homes in San Diego County. Known as “supertermites”, they are the most aggressive species known with a voracious appetite for wood.
The termite species has a pale yellow to brownish-yellow color and translucent wings covered with dense, tiny hairs. A distinctive feature is the shape of the head, while native underground termites have rectangular heads, Formosan termite soldiers have heads that taper towards the front and are rounded on the sides. The spawning season for this termite is from May to September. These termites occur in the early afternoon and when the temperature of the day exceeds 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego is among the top cities for termites, according to a new Orkin ranking. There are different types of termites that attack homes here in San Diego and in Southern California. The type that causes the most damage are underground and formose termites. They are most commonly identified by the mud tubes they create in wood, which is basically a way of creating their own humid environment.
Underground termites don't crawl through your walls to let you know they're eating the wood in your house. What you'll probably see first are small changes in the structure of your house. Cracks can start to form in the paint as you change houses. Floors may start to sink in some areas.
Hardwood floors can start to become noticeably uneven as termites attack the subsoil. You might start to notice windows sticking. Termites weaken the structure of your home and this can cause the structure to deform. That's not how you want to know that your house is infested with termites.
Western underground termite colonies are generally found in the ground, below the freezing line, but above the water table and rock formations. They are usually detected by the presence of the mud tubes they build, or when large numbers of winged termites swarm or leave the colony to look for mates. Swarms occur during the day and in California, they occur on warm, sunny days during the fall, winter, or early spring. In the northern sections of the termite mountain range, spring swarms commonly occur in the absence of rain.
According to Orkin, termites can enter homes through things like wooden structures such as porches or terraces, piles of firewood resting against a house, and damp earth near foundations. Because the root of the colony is always in the soil, control of underground termites generally involves applying insecticide to the soil. Different termites swarm in different seasons, so it's important to determine the type that affects the interior of your home. Often mistaken for flying ants, swarms are winged termites responsible for colony reproduction and propagation.
Although no one wants termites in their home, if you have to keep unwanted termites, dry wood termites are preferable to underground termites just because of the size of the colony. You may think that you don't have to worry about termites because your house is made of bricks, but no house is made entirely of brick. When underground termites are found in those areas, floors should be cut to allow access to the slab for drilling and treating. With more than 50 different species of termites prevalent in the U.S.
In the US, termites can be grouped into three main categories:. These termites live underground and build large and complicated mud well systems that they use to surface upwards. So, if you find termites, do you need to make a tent in your house? According to Orkin, structural fumigation is a treatment technique used to control termite infestations in dry wood. Their small size and ability to forage in dry conditions allow them to occupy a niche not exploited by other underground termite species.
Underground termites can cause enormous amounts of damage, because their colonies grow rapidly and reach large proportions. Mud pipes, also known as underground termite highways, can be found at every location in the house or building. Often called “desert submarines,” these termites are able to survive in drier conditions than other types of underground termites. .
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