Basic Facts about Brevard County Termites

These silent destroyers will eat your home from the inside out.  They are endemic to all parts of Florida and the Southeast part of the nation.  Most likely they were accidentally brought over from the West Indies and have been a destructive force ever since.  The good news is that they are easily treated and can be kept away from your property before they can cause significant damage.  The key is having your property regularly inspected to avoid the cost of an infestation.

Two Main Types

Termites can be categorized into two main groups: Subterranean and Non-Subterranean.  They are both considered social insects that form and depend on large colony dynamics.  The main difference is where they nest.  Subterranean termites nest in the soil or areas surrounding their food source.  The Non-subterranean species of termite DO nest in the same source of wood that they eat.  They can be categorized even further within the Brevard County Florida area.

Non-Subterranean Type: Dampwood and Drywood species

Subterranean: Eastern Subterranean and Conehead species

Understanding the Colony

Just like an ant colony, there are different jobs for everybody.  It is a common misconception that all termites have wings.  Those are known as the ‘swarmers’ and will eventually shed their wings.  Those discarded wings can be found around your home and are a good indication there is an infestation.  These swarmers are only sent out under threatening circumstances such as the nest is overpopulated or a pesticide treatment has been recently applied.  They become the queen or king of a new colony.  Other workers include nursery workers, soldiers, reproductives and nymphs.

Termite Inspections

There are several methods for inspecting your property for these virulent destroyers of your home.  The most commonly used way is to hire a pest control service to employ one of many methods.

* Visual inspection

* Moisture meters

* Stethoscopes to listen within the wood

* Methane detectors

Visually Inspecting the Property

Aside from discarded wings, there are other telltale clues termites are posing a threat.  Some species will form ‘mud tubes’ along foundational walls in basements or crawl spaces.  They also leave behind fecal matter.  As gross as it is interesting, the feces can tell you or your inspector which type of termite you are dealing with.  The ground dwelling termites have smooth and round pellets while the non-subterranean termites extract every last bit of moisture, leaving behind hexagonal shaped pellets.

The sooner you deal with the problem the more money you will be saving in the long run.