Termite formosa, 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. SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego is among the top cities for termites, according to a new Orkin ranking. Western dry-wood termite is responsible for most of the damage caused by dry-wood termites in California.
It is found in every state in the southwest, up to the north of Sacramento, with the highest incidence along coastal areas. The dry wood western termite resembles the underground termite, except that it is larger (about ½ inch) and is reddish-brown in color. Swarms, or winged adults, have reddish heads unlike underground winged adults who are all black. These termites do not require contact with the ground, minimum moisture and can infest dead branches of trees.
Dry wood termite colonies are small, but there can be multiple colonies in a structure. They are usually noticed in stacks of fecal pellets ejecting from their ejection orifices. Dry wood termite pellets accumulate under these holes and resemble sand in color and texture. Although no formosa termite was known to be established in San Diego, Kellum had learned of its fearsome reputation.
To get an idea of how an inspector knows if termites have invaded a house, I accompanied Bob Zepernick on one of the outings this morning. Originally from southern China, the Formosan termite was probably imported to Hawaii through the sandalwood trade in the late 19th century. Underground termites can cause massive damage based on the large number of workers who constantly bite your home. Termites are active throughout the state of California, from Redding to San Francisco, to Fresno, Bakersfield, Los Angeles and Riverside, California.
Underground Termites Underground termites are often much worse hosts than dry wood termites. While ants, bees and wasps go through the larval and pupal stages before changing to their adult form, termites avoid this metamorphosis and come into the world similar to termites. Australia is also home to Mastotermes darwiniensis, a primitive species of termites that builds vast networks of underground galleries. Termites have been given the nickname “the silent destroyer” because of their ability to deal great damage without being detected.
Nevada's humid forest termite swarms in spring at higher elevations, and in summer and early fall in coastal areas. If you don't catch termites in time, make sure you use a reliable extermination company like Best-Rate Termite to get rid of them, and then contact Best-Rate Repair to repair or replace the damage. The insecticide chlordane, invented just after World War II, worked with such astonishing effectiveness that by the mid-1950s most research on termites had stopped, Rust explains. There can be up to eight million formose termites in a single colony, much larger than any other termite colony.
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