Massive Termite Colony On Wall Under Paneling

To inspect interior wood paneling you might have to remove a board or panel.

Massive termite colony on wall under paneling.

A colony that s gotten inside the house may be revealed by swarms that exit through crevices or gaps in the house walls or paneling. Even subterranean termites can live and maintain a colony within walls without going back into the ground. It is a female termite whose major role in a colony is to lay eggs. Termites are very interesting insects.

However it s important to note that even when the colony isn t in the house termites may still be getting into your home through the mud tunnels they build. When a termite colony gets large enough winged reproductive termites will emerge to create a new colony. Eliminate the source of the dampness and the colony dies. Use the hammer and pry bar to carefully open the wooden exterior board of an inconspicuous part.

All states except alaska. The queen is the largest termite in a colony with a length ranging from 60cm to 80 cm. There is only one queen in a colony. Because termites usually are hidden from view it s easiest to determine the type of infestation by examining the winged version of the insect.

Winged termites easy ways to tell the difference the queen. Termites have straight antennae very different from the elbowed antennae of carpenter ants. A fourth type the dampwood termite poses less of a threat. You remember from history lessons that there are some castes in india.

You may find live termites in the interior wood paneling. Some of the signs above indicate a subterranean termite infestation while others indicate a drywood termite infestation. Of the dozens of termite species in the u s the three shown below do the most harm. Signs of wall damage caused by termites can include.

Termite activity generally tends to be more in areas closer to the floor so you can start at the bottom. I treated a house which had that very problem in 2003. Subterranean termites live inside the soil near and under a house and reach above ground level food sources through special mud tubes that workers build of saliva and their own feces. Mud tubes paint blisters damage to wood paneling or wooden trim hollow sounding wood and pinholes in the wall.

Signs of termite damage in walls. A queen can lay over a thousand eggs in one day. Their colonies are small and they only nest in wet wood. If there is a water leak or water sprinklers that keep an area wet within the walls and the wood never dries the colony can maintain and will expand within that structure.

The termite colony size can be different starting from only two insects a king and a queen to more than a million creatures. This document discusses alternatives for termite protection including reducing the attractiveness of the structure to termites get wood away from the building fix leaks use of 16 grit sand diameter 0 06 0 1 in as a termite barrier 18 wide x 3 deep in crawl areas or stainless steel mesh for the same purpose under foundations and slabs.