1. I have active termites, how much damage will they do in a month's time?
Subterranean termites would not be expected to create significant damage in a few months time, but rather over an extended period of time if left untreated. Individual termites randomly visit the various feeding sites established by the colony, rather than returning to the same location day after day. Diamond Pest Control recommends you take action as soon as possible to begin the control process.

2. There are homes on my street with termite infestation and damage. What actions can I take to protect my home from being infested?
Termites forage from all around the year and they spread most commonly underground. If your home is currently termite-free, it could become infested by termites that are active nearby. A preventive termite control program will help avoid termite infestation. Contact our Diamond Pest Control office for additional information about termite biology, habits and treatment options.

3. We recently noticed a small mud tunnel on the dry wall side of an exterior wall. After knocking it off we saw a pinhole in the dry wall. After a few days, the mud tunnel was back. We have had flying ants in the past, but I am a little concerned about this tunnel. What do you think?
Such mud tunnels are an indication of subterranean termite activity. Because the tube was rebuilt after being broken, the termites are active. Please contact your local Diamond Pest Control service now and we will send a representative that will provide you with a free inspection to determine your control options.

4. Do termites really eat wood?
Yes, termites actually eat wood. Using bacteria, protozoa and microbes that live inside their stomachs, they are able to digest cellulose, the main constituent of wood.

5. How long are their life cycles? Why do they lose their wings?
A worker termite may live from one to two years. A queen termite may live for decades. Winged termites, also known as swarmers, need their wings to fly a short distance from their nest. They then pry off their wings and never fly again, burrowing themselves in the soil to spend the remainder of their lives building a new colony. They must remove the wings to move through their underground tunnels.

6. Can termites make their way through concrete?
Termites cannot go through solid concrete, but they can get through a crack only 1/32 of an inch. Openings this size or bigger often occur where two pieces of concrete abut – like when poured separately – and around plumbing penetrations through the concrete or where the concrete has cracked.

7. How can I identify a termite?
Termite workers are pale, soft-bodied insects about 1/4 inch or less in length. They appear to have a head and body because their thorax is broadly joined to their abdomen. Their antennae are straight, just like a string of beads. Termites are mistakenly called white ants, but are not ant-like in appearance. Ants are usually heavily pigmented and have three distinct body regions: head, thorax and abdomen. Ants also have a very narrow or pinched "waist," and their antennae are "elbowed."

Winged termites (swarmers) have pigmented bodies with broad waists and two pair of wings that are equal in size and shape. Subterranean termite swarmers have bodies about 1/4 inch in length. The swarmers quickly shed their wings after a brief flight. Winged ants, on the other hand, have pinched waists and two pair of wings that differ in size and shape (front pair is large, hind pair is much smaller).

For more information on termite characteristics and behaviors, click here.

8. I have experienced termite swarms year after year even with regular treatment. Is there anything I can do to get rid of them?
Continued swarming after a conventional soil treatment can mean one of four things:

1. The termites are still finding an "unprotected" access point into the structure where the termiticide application has not created an effective barrier to stop entry.
2. Termites are swarming into an area where there is no food source (wood) to sustain ongoing activity. They swarm at this location, then go elsewhere for food requirements.
3. The soil barrier is in place, but the termites are able to find a "bridge" over the treatment. The underside of concrete slabs can permits this to happen.
4. The barrier is working to stop movement of termites back and forth from the ground to the structure, but the termites are able to obtain moisture from inside the structure and do not need to return to the soil. This moisture source is usually a leaky pipe, shower pan or roof/gutter leak.

9. How do swarming termites enter a home?
Subterranean termites come from the ground to enter structures. Wood portions of the structure (and its furnishings) that are closest to the foundation level are probably more prone to infestation, but termites can move to other areas. The typical evidence of infestation is the presence of dirt-like shelter tubes that the termites use to conceal themselves as they cross masonry foundation materials. The swarmer termites can enter the home at any one of these access points.

10. What will termites do after they swarm? Do they stay, leave or stay and become inactive?
Subterranean termite swarmers are attempting to pair with a swarmer of the opposite sex from another colony. They must locate a suitable habitat to establish a new colony of their own. They need moist soil, preferably in direct contact with wood, in order to survive. The termites that swarm inside a structure and cannot get out will quickly die from lack of available moisture. The termite colony that produced the swarmers will continue to be active after the swarm has taken place.