A termite infestation is a nightmare to every homeowner. Why? Because these notorious pests are known to cause severe damage to your property and wooden items but not just that, they can also weaken the structure of your property if left untreated. Just the thought of all the damage repair and replacement costs adding up is enough to scare anybody.

Therefore, it is vital that you know at least the first basic signs of identifying a termite infestation, knowing this piece of information could not only help you get help at the right time but save you from spending a huge amount of money in damage repairs.

The Seven Small but Sure Symptoms of an Infestation That You Should Conduct an Inspection For –

1. Sheded Wings:

When termites mature, they abandon their nests and go out to begin a new colony. Prior to their flight, they swarm together outside or in your house and afterwards they shed their wings, leaving them in a pile on the ground.

Therefore, if you notice wings that have been shed, you probably have an active colony that needs to be terminated.

2. Inspect for Mud Tubes:

In Australia, subterranean termites are the most common pest found. Since this type of termites prefers living underground, they only come up to the surface occasionally when they are looking for food.

To travel back and forth, they use mud tubes as exposure to the open could cause them to die.

3. Flying Termites:

An obvious sign of an infestation would be to find live ones flying around your property as that would indicate that you either have an existing colony that you weren’t aware of or that a new colony is soon in the making. So if you notice them, call an expert as soon as possible.

4. Hollow Wood Equals an Infestation:

If your wooden items or furniture sounds hollow when knocked on, then it has probably been eaten away internally by them.

Additionally, they make a clicking sound to alert the rest of the colony when they sense danger, so if you hear a clicking sound or the sound of your wood getting munched on, then you should get a property inspection and treatment soon to prevent further damage.

5. Inspection for Wood Galleries:

Another sign to look out for are galleries of wood which is the tunneling inside your wooden item that they used to travel and eat away your wooden interiors. You can easily find these in any broken pieces of wood. However the challenge is finding them on wooden items that are intact.

Therefore, if you spot these galleries and no termites, then that indicates that they have eaten away as much as they wanted and moved on to the next wooden item in your house.

6. Spotting White Ants in Your House:

Often homeowners mistake termites for white ants. However, it is vital to know that white ants do not exist. So if you spotted something that you think is a white ant, it is a termite. Remember that they can cause more damage than you think and if left untreated, they could unleash hell upon your house and wooden items.

Termites Don’t Leave on Their Own

They are pesky little creatures that cause a lot of damage to your house if you leave them alone. They will eat away until there is nothing left and the saddest news is that often homeowners do not learn of their presence until the very end as it is a challenge to detect these pests.

Therefore, it is essential that you get your house inspected from time to time by a professional expert and if you notice any signs of termites, get your house treated as soon as possible.

The bottom line is that termites are a challenge to detect and get rid of unless you are a professional who has sufficient experience and knowledge in identifying and getting rid of termites. And if you are not, which is the case often, it is best to trust the safety of your property and wooden items into the hands of the experts.

About the Author:

Muzi Tsolakis is the founder of Protech Pest Control, Australia. It is known for its same-day residential and commercial termite treatment and for providing other pest control services in Melbourne.