Termites are some of the most dangerous and damaging pests you can come across. They’re fast-acting, spread wildly, show few signs of habitation, and can cause thousands of dollars in structural damage to your home.
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Knowing the telltale signs of each termite species is a tall order. However, you should be aware of some of the most common features these wood-chewing pests exhibit. To help you better understand the dangers and costs of termites, we’ve assembled some of the most important termite statistics and facts.
How Much Damage Can Termites Do In a Year?
Termites are a highly common pest in the U.S., found in every state except Alaska. They’re most common in the southern and western parts of the country, like Florida, the Carolinas, and California.
All in all, termites are responsible for about $5 billion in repair costs and prevention services each year—but that figure only considers the 600,000 homes termites damage each year. In the agriculture and forestry sectors, these pests cause around $40 billion in total damage to products and resources.
What makes these cost figures worse is that homeowners insurance companies often do not cover termite damage. Termites may be difficult to spot, but consistent maintenance and inspections can catch them, making them an unfortunate exclusion for many policies. However, some exceptions exist, such as termites causing a fire by chewing into electrical wiring.
The Most Destructive Termite Species
The U.S. along has about 45 different termite species, each with its own habitats and preferences. Some tend to live underground, others prefer damp wood, and still others like to eat their food dry. The species in this section are particularly notorious for their destructive capabilities.
Formosan Termites
The most aggressive and destructive species of termite is the Formosan termite, sometimes called the “super termite.” These bugs, native to Southeast Asia, found their way to the U.S. through the Port of New Orleans in the middle of the 20th century. To this day, they plague homes in the warm southern part of the country, since their eggs can’t hatch when it’s below 68°F.
Formosan termite nests can reach over 300 feet in size and include millions of bugs. The largest colony, found in Algiers, LA, housed an estimated 70 million termites and weighed over 600 pounds.
Because Formosan termites are so voracious and quick to grow, you need to spot them early and take them out quickly. Otherwise, they could damage an entire section of a home within a short timeframe.
Eastern Subterranean Termites
Eastern subterranean termites are America’s most prevalent termite species. Instead of nesting above ground, they dig an extensive network of underground tunnels that allow them to access wooden structures below the soil. Since they can also handle temperatures Formosan termites can’t, they are a nationwide threat.
Conehead Termites
Conehead termites are another particularly concerning species since they can spread rapidly. Unlike most species that rely on underground tunnels, these termites can forage openly on the ground like ants. This lets them infest new areas quickly, especially since they evade normal subterranean termite prevention strategies.
Signs of a Termite Infestation
Knowing the signs of a termite infestation can mean the difference between minor repairs and extensive structural renovations.
Drooping Drywall
While termites aren’t interested in the chalky gypsum plaster inside drywall, they do love to feed on the paper shell. Drywall damage can be one of the more easily noticeable indications of a termite infestation.
There are several signs of termites damaging your drywall, and these can include:
- Termite maps: As termites eat through the paperboard on drywall, they will leave little tracks, often referred to as maps.
- Sagging or drooping: As termites tunnel through the drywall and supporting structures, the overall stability of the drywall weakens. This weakening will then lead to a visible drooping or sagging.
- Pinholes: Termites can tunnel through drywall, creating small holes. These holes are about the size of a pen tip or pinhead and are occasionally filled with wood pulp.
- Discolored drywall: While this is less common, certain species of termite produce signs similar to water damage, specifically subterranean termites. The discoloration will look like small, brown, wet patches where the paint has bubbled up.
Stuck Windows
Stuck windows and doors are one of the earliest warning signs of termites. When a colony begins to target a home, it’ll often go for easily accessed wooden structures like doorframes and windowsills. As termites start eating into these structures, they’ll begin to warp or swell.
Wooden Structural Damage
One of the most obvious signs of termite infestation is damage to wooden structures. This can manifest as any of the following things:
- Hollow-sounding wood when tapped
- Squeaky floorboards
- Sagging floors or ceilings
- Visible tunnels or galleries in wood
- Crumbling or damaged wood trim
Take immediate action if you see termite damage has already been done to your home.
Mud Tubes
Formosan termites build mud tubes to travel between their colony and food sources. These pencil-width tubes can run along foundation walls, in crawlspaces, and on exterior walls. Since the insects need moisture to survive, the mud provides a controlled environment that holds onto humidity as they commute.
Discarded Wings
Some species of termite swarm to establish new colonies when the time is right. After swarming, they shed their wings. If you see piles of these wings near your windows, doors, or other entry points, that’s a sign of a nearby termite colony.
Ironically, homeowners often don’t notice these wing piles. If you monitor your doorways, windowsills, and areas where termites might enter your home more easily, you’ll be at an advantage.
Preventing Termite Infestations
By being proactive against termite infestations, you can save stress, time, and money in the long run. Follow these three effective strategies to reduce your risk:
- Keep moisture away from your foundation: Termites are attracted to moist environments, so take action to control the moisture around your home. Make sure your gutters and downspouts are functioning properly, that your lawn is properly graded, and that any yard drainage systems you have are clear. You should also check your air conditioning unit and other appliances so they won’t leak or make a damp area around your foundation.
- Have regular inspections done: Annual termite inspections from your pest control company can help you spot infestations early and identify new entry points. If your exterminator finds an infestation, they’ll be well-equipped to stop it before the termites can wreak further havoc.
- Keep soil and wood separate: Make a barrier between wooden structures and soil so subterranean termites can’t easily chow down on them. Avoid using wood within 6 inches of the ground, and use concrete or metal supports where possible. If your home has wood mulch or cellulose-based materials around it, remove them and find alternatives that are less termite-prone.
Sources
- United States Department of Agriculture “Learning What “Wood” a Termite Prefers“
- Nationwide “Does homeowners insurance cover termite damage?“
- Orkin “Types of Termite Colonies“
- The University of Florida “Types of Termites“
- National Pest Management Association, Pestworld “Conehead Termites“
- Orkin “Termite Damage to Drywall“
- Orkin “How to Identify Termite Activity”
- The University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment “Protecting your Home Against Termites“
- Orkin “Where do Termites Come From“
- The University of Florida “Termite Life Cycle“
- Orkin “Do Termites Bite“
FAQs About the Termite Damage and the Worst Types
Termites will nest in different areas depending on their type. While some species within each category have unique nesting habits (like conehead termites nesting in trees), most termites within each of the following categories keep to their respective environments:
- Dampwood termites: Dampwood termites like to nest in wet soil and damp wood. They’re primarily attracted to areas of the home filled with darkness and moisture, like gutters, basements, and the kitchen. Dampwood termites need this moisture to survive and often require direct wood to soil contact to enter your home.
- Dampwood termites: Dampwood termites like to nest in wet soil and damp wood. They’re primarily attracted to areas of the home filled with darkness and moisture, like gutters, basements, and the kitchen. Dampwood termites need this moisture to survive and often require direct wood to soil contact to enter your home.
- Drywood termites: Unlike their dampwood cousins, drywood termites prefer dry environments. They nest on locations like firewood piles or deep within wooden structures like trees, furniture, or houses. Drywood termites are some of the hardest to spot once they get inside your home, as they only live deep inside wooden structures, producing very few easily visible signs of habitation.
- Drywood termites: Unlike their dampwood cousins, drywood termites prefer dry environments. They nest on locations like firewood piles or deep within wooden structures like trees, furniture, or houses. Drywood termites are some of the hardest to spot once they get inside your home, as they only live deep inside wooden structures, producing very few easily visible signs of habitation.
- Subterranean termites: Like their name would suggest, subterranean termites like to live in the ground. They, like dampwood termites, require damp wood or soil moisture to survive. Certain species of subterranean termites, specifically Formosan termites, can create mud-like tubes connecting their nests to the wooden structures of your home.
- Subterranean termites: Like their name would suggest, subterranean termites like to live in the ground. They, like dampwood termites, require damp wood or soil moisture to survive. Certain species of subterranean termites, specifically Formosan termites, can create mud-like tubes connecting their nests to the wooden structures of your home.
Termites begin life as an egg laid by a queen and fertilized by a king. These eggs hatch into a young termite called a nymph, which then grows into a member of the worker or soldier caste. Once a colony reaches a certain size, the king and queen will produce a special kind of nymph which grows into a caste called alates. Alates have wings, and once the weather conditions are right, they will all go to the surface and fly off together by the thousands in a “swarming event.” During swarming events, a male and female alate will pair up, find a new location to start a colony, lose their wings (called dealates), and become the king and queen of a new colony.
Generally speaking, termites spread in two ways: through swarming events mentioned above and tunneling. As their nests grow, workers and soldier termites begin digging new tunnels and scavenge for food. During the scavenging, if termites locate a large, plentiful supply of food (like a tree stump, firewood pile, or your home), they will, much like ants, prioritize it and begin to move in.
Beyond structural damage to your home, termites do not pose any serious risk to you or your pets. While termites can bite, they only do so if handled and are not inherently aggressive. If you are bit, while it may be painful, termites do not carry any toxins or harmful diseases transmittable to humans. The same goes for your pets, as termites are not known to be dangerous to your household friends.
