We have covered a lot of information regarding termites on our blog in the past. This is first and foremost because we have seen the extreme damage that termites can do in a very short amount of time. The second is that we care about you and your home and we would never want to see this damage occur to you.
Keeping this in mind, we wanted to correct a common misconception about termites. Most people think that it is wood and wood only that attracts termites to their home. This is actually not true at all. There are plenty of different conditions that can cause termites to seek out your home as opposed to another one. In this post, we want to inform you of what these things are and how you can remedy them in your own home so that you don’t have to worry about termites as much. Continue reading below to discover what these conditions are.
Excess Moisture
While it is thought that termites only need wood to survive, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Termites are not drawn to dry wood, nor do they necessarily just eat dry wood. As a matter of fact, termites are unable to digest cellulose or plant-based materials unless it contains moisture. When moisture is lacking, termites can actually dry up and die. This is why it is important that you check around your home for any signs of excessive moisture. If you happen to find it, take care of it as soon as possible if you do not want to attract termites.
Dark Areas
You probably already know that many insects are drawn to dark areas where they can hide from your view. Termites are no different. They like to be in the dark for the most part. The only exception is when these pests are about to mate. When they are ready to swarm, the reproductive caste of the termite colony will leave the dark and search for a mate in the light. Pay special attention to the areas of your home that don’t get a lot of light. Most often these are places like your garage, basement, or storage room.
Mulch and Additional Ground Covers
Mulch makes your yard look nice but it also tends to attract termites fairly easily. This isn’t just because mulch is almost always made of wood chips, however. Mulch is everything that termites look for in a place to hide. It’s wet, it’s dark, and yes, the wood does play an important role as well. We’re not recommending that you get rid of all the mulch in your yard. However, rather than placing new mulch on top of old mulch, we would suggest that you rake away the old mulch first and don’t lay down the new mulch more than two inches thick.
Plant-Based Materials
As we mentioned at the beginning of this post, termites are not just interested in eating wood. There are other plant-based materials that are just as enticing to these pests. They eat leaves, paper, and cardboard, as well as anything else made of plants. Be sure that your home is clear of boxes and other debris if you want to make sure you are not attracting termites to your home accidentally.
Hire A Pest Control Team Today
As you can see, there are many different ways you can end up with termites in your home. Plain and simple, when it comes to termites, they aren’t playing around. Knowing whether or not your home is a viable candidate for termites is the first step. The second is discovering whether or not they are present in your home. If you want to know for sure, it’s easy to do. Simply hire the experts at Earthwise Pest Management to complete a full termite inspection in your home. We can let you know if these pests are already present or if you are potentially asking for termites to infest your space. Knowing whether or not you are in need of treatment or if you should simply take some precautions will put your mind at ease and ensure that termites are not doing any damage to your home. Call today to make an appointment with our professional pest control team.
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