Termites are famous for being as unobtrusive as possible. They'll typically live underground and are constantly on the lookout for timber of some kind, so they can set up their home and get down to work. Yet these pests are not always out of sight and out of mind, and they may, in fact, give you an early warning sign of their intentions. How can you spot these warning signs to tell if you are at risk or if you may already have a termite problem?

Hidden World

A termite colony is, in many respects, similar to the world of the ant. Each colony will have a queen and workers, but in this case, their job is to eat as much wood as possible. While they may set up a nest and be in the same place for months or even years, eventually, they will run out of space or available food. In this case, they will need to search for an alternative, and a different kind of termite will emerge.

Moving House

These termites are sexually mature and have large wings, many times bigger than their actual body size. They will burrow out of the nest and take flight before the male and female of the species procreate. One of them will become the queen of the new colony.

In some species, these termites will then discard their wings and burrow down into a new location. The queen will then start a new colony where there is a good source of timber, and their process will start all over again.

Tell-Tale Signs

If you walk into a spare room one day and see discarded wings in a particular spot, you should definitely be concerned. Termites may have emerged from one part of your home and discovered another, discarding their wings along the way. They may already have caused extensive damage in one spot and now intend to continue their forage in the other, and either way, you need to take action.

Avoiding the Issue

Of course, you should try and avoid this scenario at all costs and protect your home from any infiltration. Get rid of any old wood or mulch from around the circumference of your property, and consider introducing termite traps in your garden.

Expert Help

If you do come across discarded wings inside, however, you need to call in a termite eradication expert. They will have a good look around your home, locate any nest and help you to come up with a solution for termite treatment.

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