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Termite Identification: What A Termite Looks Like

By: Don Pellis

Both carpenter ants and worker termites can do damage to your furniture and home. Identifying which is which however is important for you to get the right help and treatment. Although a specialist normally knows what a termite looks like, your early detection can help provide immediate and proper attention.

Subterranean Termites

Knowing how a subterranean termite looks like may be the key to saving your home. Several termite species can look different from each another and this may cause you to have a hazy idea of just how a subterranean termite would look like. Subterranean termites however are the most common species found in homes. They usually feed on wood and paper based products and to the unaware, every termite looks like it can harm your precious library or furniture. Your major concern however should be the worker termites.

The subterranean termite colony is divided into several groups: soldier termites, reproductives or swarmers and the workers. Not every termite looks like a grain of rice but a lot of them do. Soldiers however have mandibles while reproductives have wings. The worker termite looks like a reproductive but is smaller and has no wings. They are the most numerous in a colony and are the main wood eaters.

Swarmer Ants and Termites

The presence of swarmer termites is the first tell-tale sign that your home may be infested with termites. This is because swarmers are the ones who propagate termite colonies. Some think that a swarmer termite looks like a flying ant. The truth is that there are major differences.

An ant's body is composed of a head, a slim abdomen and a thorax. A termite looks like it only has a head and a straight body.

As far as looks are concerned, both termites and ants share the same number of wings: four. Ants however have longer front than rear wings and have apparent vein marks. Termites have four wings of equal length that are far longer than the body and do not have vein marks.

An ant's antennae have a slight bend that may end in some sort of a small club. Termites on the other hand have beaded antennae that do not bend and have no club-like ends and point away from the body.

Where Swarmers Stay

Swarmer termites outside your house does not call for much alarm. These swarmers may simply have been blown by the wind. Swarmers are also not the main termite wood eaters. You should be a little concerned though if you notice a number of swarmer ants flying away from your house and from cracks, windows and woodwork. You may have some form of termite infestation.

Getting Help

Termites are pests to be reckoned with. Any ordinary insect spray may not be able to effectively rid your home of the infestation. You may have to ask for some expert help. Experts may use chemical treatment in which termicide is applied on wood and other house areas to prevent termites from invading the house structure. The baiting technique may also be used in which chemicals are spread throughout the colony through wood baits carrying chemicals.

Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com

Find out what a termite looks like. It may just save your home and property! Call the best termite control company nearest you.

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