Houses age and some get destroyed over time. Houses have a certain life span depending on the materials used to build it. Wood is a popular building material. It looks good and is cheaper than cement, brick and metals. This material can be used to make virtually anything from walls, ceilings, and flooring. It has the physical properties that make strong and sturdy houses. However, there is a certain problem we can encounter when using wood to build houses; termites. What are termites anyway? Let us describe pictures of termites in the following phrases to identify them appropriately so you could apply the appropriate termite control products immediately.

Sometimes, it could be misleading to identify termites because they look so similar to ants. They have similar appearances at first glance. But when you look really closely, there are big differences on how they actually look. Let’s take a peek at the pictures of termites.

What are Termites?

Termites are tiny insects which feed on wood. Their digestive systems can break down cellulose from cell walls of plants to produce energy. Their colonies follow the “caste system” allowing them to cooperate very well. They establish colonies which consist of king and queen as the leaders and main reproductive members, supported by worker termites, soldier termites, and alates.

The king and queen termites are the primary reproductive members but a colony can have secondary and tertiary reproductives which can increase their population exponentially. Soldier termites are the ones responsible for defending the colony. Soldier termites can secrete toxic substances from which they utilize to kill and drive away intruders. Worker termites do most of the work inside the colony – they transport food, make tunnels, and take care for the young termites. They also feed the king, queen, and soldiers because they can’t feed by themselves. Alates are winged reproductive termites. They are reproduced to find new locations and build a new colony.

They can cause extreme damage wood infrastructures, they can hollow trees and the worst case, eat your house. Termites eat up to millions of dollars’ worth of houses and other buildings every year. Their species continue to grow and spread worldwide. They are mostly found in damp areas underground or in wooden structures. They’re probably there right now dwelling in your neighborhood.

What do Termites look like?

When you look at a picture of a termite you can see that they are about the size of an ant which is approximately ½ inch. They are six legged insects. Ants and termites have the same body structure but slightly different in shapes. Their body structure is composed of the head, mandible, abdomen, legs, thorax and antennas. They can also have wings.

By looking at those termite pictures, you can easily identify that the queen termite is a bit larger than the king termite. Only these two have eyes. Soldier termites have large heads with long and sturdy mandibles. Their heads are usually darker than their bodies. Worker termites are whitish in color (creamy or milky white). They have small mandibles just enough to carry small bits of woods to their colonies.

How Do They Differ From Ants?

You can’t easily identify their differences by just looking at the picture of a termite only. You have to compare both pictures. Though termites have different colors depending on its species, they are usually light colored from white to orange. Ants, then again, are usually red or black in color.

Termites have bodies that are distinctly divided into two parts: abdomen and the thorax as one, and the head. While ants have three distinct body structures: head, abdomen and the thorax. Termite’s abdomen is slightly pointed while ants have round ends.

Termites don’t have eyes while ants have compounded eyes. Aside from the reproductives, other termite members use scents and moisture trails to navigate around inside and outside their colonies.

Pictures of termites with wings or alates are very much different from ants with wings. There are three main differences between these two. First, termite’s antennas are straight and beaded while ant’s antennas are bent. Termite’s antenna looks like a string of beads if magnified. Second, their wings are different. Termite’s wings are equal in size while ant’s wings have unequal lengths. The wings inside are larger than the wings outside. Termite’s wings are laid straightly parallel to its body when at rest. Lastly, termite’s abdomen is straightly equal while ants have a thin portion in their bodies, their thorax.

You can detect termites by identifying their physical attributes. As you have read, termites are far more different from ants.

Now, that you can recognize how pictures of termites look like, you can identify them easily from ants. Early detection can save lots of time and money and preventing is always better than applying termite control products which would cost you a lot. It good to know how certain things would look like to identify them appropriately, especially, when termites are getting ready to wreck your house.

You are very excited because you just purchased your very first home. You already made plans on how you would want your new home would look like from the inside and outside. You talked to different architects and builders about the design of your home. There is one thing that you have to keep in mind when you purchase your new home. You have to protect your home from termite damage. Since you have lived in a concrete apartment for most of your life, you may not be aware of what a termite or termite damage would look like. It would be better to look at termite damage pictures to help you be aware on what it can do to your home.

Signs of Termite Damage

If you are a first time homeowner it is best that you inspect your newly purchased house for signs of termite damage or termite infestation. The question is how you will be able to tell that there were signs of termite damage. It is really hard to tell immediately if your home has termite damage. But there will be obvious signs, all is needed is you pay attention to the minute details. Termite damage might sometimes appear as water damage. Outward signs of termite damage might include buckling woods, and swollen floors and ceilings. The scent of termite infestation may be similar to mold or mildew. Another thing that you will notice is that there are scattered wings of termites near your window sills or outside the foundation of your home.

 Termite Damage Photos

If you see some of the signs mentioned about but you are still not sure it would also be advisable to look at pictures of termites and termite damage photos to give you a clear idea on how they look like. You can see first-hand the damage that they can do to your home. Termite damage photos can give you an idea on how much a termite can damage your house or building. In photos that you will see termite damage may be very extensive. Parquet floor, wood panels, doors, roofing, books and paper can have termite infestation. If you check the wood of your home, it would look all right on the outside but if termites got to it already, then it is just a hollowed shell.

Termite Control

Knowing about termites and termite damages is only half the battle in your quest to protect your home. The next thing for you to be aware of is how to bullet-proof your home from termites. Termite control is not as easy as buying a can of bug spray and all the termites will be gone. There are ways for you to be able to remove termite infestation in your home. It will also depend how small or big is the termite damage in your home.

The first thing you can do is to make your home less likely target for termites. Keep wood debris away from your building. Trim your trees and make sure that they are far from your actual home. Install gutters to remove moisture problems. These things can help you minimize costs on termite control.

The next thing that you can do is to inspect your properties prone to termites such as furniture. Inspect signs of termites from wooden materials brought from outside.

If the termite damage is too big for the homeowner to handle then it is time to call a good pest control company. The pest control companies hire professionals that are expert in handling big time termite infestation. Of course, you cannot just pick the first one pest control company that you read about. You need to check their reputation and the services they offer. It is important because it can determine if they will be the best pest control company suitable in helping you get rid of termite damage in your home.

Being aware of termites and termite damage is a must for every homeowner. It is needed to protect the homes where your loved ones live. That is why it is very helpful to read about the kinds of termites there are that can destroy homes. Learn about different methods to control termite infestation. There are also different termite damage pictures that you can look at so that you will readily be able to identify the extent of termite damage you may have in your home. Termites damage is a serious business and should not be taken lightly. Big amount of money is used just for repairs of damaged homes because of termite infestation. If you are equipped with knowledge about termite infestation think how much money you can save. Keep your homes protected. Even if you are not having any termite infestation now, it will not hurt you to be equipped with the knowledge.