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What to Look For |
 Wood
damaged by termites always has remains of mud tubes attached
to wood galleries or tunnels in an irregular pattern. The
tunnels may contain broken mud particles with fecal materials.
In the case of an active colony, white termites may be found
in infested wood.
The presence of flying winged males, females or their
shed wings inside the building indicates an infestation.
The presence of mud or shelter tubes extending from the
ground to woodwork or on foundation walls also may indicate
infestation. Workers travel periodically via shelter tubes
to their nest to regain moisture and perform feeding duties.
Each mud tube is approximately the diameter of a lead pencil. |
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| How Old is the Damage? |
 Based
on normal feeding activity, it takes 3 to 8 years to cause
appreciable damage. There have been some predictions that, under
ideal conditions, a termite colony of 60,000 workers may consume
a one-foot length of 2" x 4" pine in 118 to 157 days. |
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| Inspection for Subterranean Termites |
Termite damage may be located by probing
wood with a screwdriver, ice pick or knife. Start inspection
in the basement and use a bright flashlight. Look for mud
tubes and the activity of swarms. If necessary, get help from
a professional pest control operator or advice from an experienced
entomologist. A qualified professional inspector should inspect
the exterior and interior surfaces of the foundation, particularly
construction where wood is on or near the soil. Mud tubes
are solid evidence of termite activity.
Other sites requiring inspection are:
- Wood construction in basement and crawl space (if present)
- Sills, joists, support posts, basement window frames,
wood under porches
- Hollow blocks, cracks in cement or brick construction
and expansion joints
- Scrap wood on ground, old tree stumps, fence posts and
exterior frames of basement windows. The inspector should
be able to determine if termites are active or not, how
old the damage may be, and if chemical treatment is necessary.
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