Rottenwood termites8/7/2023 About ½ to 1 inch long, these bugs are bigger than drywood or subterranean termites however, their colonies are often the smallest. Mud tubes are essentially termite trails, which can help a professional identify their nest or spots where they’ve inflicted damage to the home.ĭampwood termites are found in or near decaying or rotting wood and typically chew wood along the grain.Īs their name suggests, dampwood termites prefer moist, rotten wood, since they thrive in areas with heavy moisture. If a homeowner spots mud tubes near the foundation of the home or by a wooden structure or tree, it’s best to contact a termite control expert, since mud tunnels are one of the main signs of a subterranean termite infestation. These structures also block out dry air, which makes the area ideal for subterranean termites, since they prefer spaces with high humidity. They’re usually found around a home’s foundation and help protect the harmful insects from predators while they move around. Subterranean termites create mud tubes on a home’s exterior and typically enter a home near its foundation.Īlso called mud tunnels, mud tubes are small, pencil-size paths that termites make out of small pieces of wood and soil. To get the most accurate picture of what is present, an inspector may also remove a baseboard or piece of molding to see if any termites or other evidence of termites is present. If the wood sounds hollow, a termite expert will likely probe the area further or take moisture readings to see if there are other signs of termite damage. However, if it’s a high-pitched or empty sound, a homeowner may want to investigate further by calling a termite control specialist. If, after tapping the wood, the homeowner hears a rich, deep sound, they likely don’t have a termite- infested house. To test a wood structure to hear if it sounds hollow, a homeowner can probe the area in question with the back end of a tool, like a screwdriver or hammer. Termite-damaged wood can sound hollow when it’s tapped or knocked.īecause most termites feed on the cellulose found in wood, the tunnels and galleries they create make the wood hollow. One or more of these signs is enough to call in the help of a professional to perform an inspection and come up with a treatment and repair plan.
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