All About Termites

Buildings that are constructed using woods such as log homes have a higher risk of getting attacked by different types of wood destroying pests including termites. There are thousands of species of termites. However, log home owners must be concerned about only few aggressive ones from among them. The species which attack houses more often are dry-wood and subterranean termites. 

1. Dry-wood Termites: They cannot live in dry wood completely. This is because they rely on the moisture present in wood for survival. These pests prefer to dwell in small colonies comprising hundreds of individuals. The colonies are further separated into different castles. The queen lives in the center of the colony and produces eggs to ensure the continuity of the colony. On the other hand, the king generally accompanies the queen, although his presence is not significant for success of the colony. Other members in the caste include soldiers whose job is to protect and guard the nest, workers who feed the colony and reproductives who help to produce new colonies.

Most of the dry-wood termite colonies are produced through exposed wood ends accessible via crevices and cracks. Their infestation signs include small and hard fecal pellets on the floor or  detached wings on the window sill. However, the colonies are quite small in nature. But if left unchecked, they can cause extensive damages leading to costly repairs and maintenance in future. 

2. Subterranean Termites: As the name itself suggests, these termites love to spend most of their time two to four feet below the surface of the soil. Soldiers, reproductives and workers along with the queen and king build a colony that generally consists of several hundred and thousands of termites.

Signs of a subterranean termite infestation include the presence of mud tubes going up on the piers, walls and other vertical surfaces of a house. The mud tubes are generally designed by the subterranean pests in order to maintain a humid environment. 

The best way to get rid of these pests is to vacuum them up! If that method fails, the most prudent thing to do is appoint a professional company offering termite control in Melbourne  to perform an inspection. 

There are various DIY home remedies that can be applied in order to tackle unwanted termite pests. But according to the experts, it is always advisable for log home owners to hire a pest inspector in order to get rid of these pests completely.