If I were a termite

If I were a termite, I would probably be a subterranean termite, since they are more numerous. I would be in a colony in the earth, where there is plenty of moisture which I as all my termite brothers and sisters need, and get from the soil. I would have a permanent role, or job within the colony that I would belong to.  My society would be highly regulated, and controlled biologically, and socially. I could be a soldier, coming out with the other soldiers in mass  to defend the colony from invasions, enemy attacks, and threats.  I could be a worker, the most numerous population group in a termite colony. If I was a worker, my job would be to build the tunnels, and passageways within the earth, and the mud tunnels coming out of the earth,and up  into a structure, such as a house. I would have to go out foraging for cellulose within the wood I find, which is  the best source of cellulose, and I would have to feed the soldiers, reproductives, king and queen, through regurgitation, and anal excretion. Only the workers eat the cellulose, and provide it to the others non-worker termites. If I was a worker, I would have to have to care for the other termites. That is my job. I would leave scent trails for others to follow, since I would be blind, and live in darkness. If I would be a queen termite, I would  produce eggs all the time, a real baby producing machine always at work. I would be the sole source of population growth for the colony, but some colonies may have other kings and queens. 

Within my environment, there would be high humidity, and temperatures between 60 and 90 degreens maintained. I would have protozoa on my body, helping me digest the cellulose that I eat. I cannot do the digesting by myself. The micro-organisms are my friends.

Beware of the dog, or the termites?

Having worked in the pest control business, I can tell you that there are termites doing bad things to homes and other dwellings here in Florida.  In fact, termites are a real problem, especially here in Florida, due to all our moisture, and temperature mix. All the termite types thrive well here, and my hometown of Tallahassee, Florida has been impacted by this cellulose eating critter.

There are two main categories of termites: subterranean, and drywood. The subterranean termites are more numerous. The subterranean termites need moisture from within the earth. They make mud tunnels to climb up into a home, or other structure to get to the wood, or wood products. They must however, be able to return back to the soil for the moisture and nutrients. Drywood termites do not make colonies in the earth. They live in the wood of a structure, or tree.

Within the subterranean termite category are the formosan termites. Formosans are not native to North America. They were recently brought over in ships from overseas regions:  the orient. However, they are the most aggressive of all termites in the United States. They can eat the wood our of a home in as little as three months. They have been found in New Orleans, California, and Florida. They are particularly populated in south Florida, and are moving up to north Florida in greater numbers.

I have seen the damage of termites in Tallahassee. Homes that have lost the roof, or floors that have caved in, decks that are infested. One home can have numerous termite colonies within, and the human residents may be totally unaware of this. Termites do their work with the walls, not outside them. They can be found in wood furniture, and picture frames, however. Again, they go for the cellulose found in wood and wood products, including paper.

Now the best way to protect a dwelling from termites, is by applying a chemical liquid solution of either “premise,” which is usually effective for one to two years, or “termidor,” which is effective for  up to 10 years. A pest control technician, will make a small trench around the exterior perimeter of the home and then apply the liquid termiticide. The older method of applying a termiticide, using tubes with wood bait in them (Sentricon), is not that useful, as it works only if the termites are attracted to the bait tubes. They can always access the  home between the tubes, as the tubes are only applied inside the earth at intervals around the perimeter of the home. Termites have been proven to be much smarter than falling for the bait.

I love Tallahassee, and Florida in general. Who doesn’t. I live here, but am aware of the dangers and higher risks associated with Florida living: hurricanes, tornados, floods, snakes, alligators in most bodies of water, insect pests, long hot summers, and of course, termites.

Would I live elsewhere? Well, give me a cabin in the rockies of Colorado. I would go there. Darn, no mountains in Florida. Hahaha, we have the beautiful beaches, the white sand dunes of the Gulf of Mexico coastline of Florida. We have many forest regions, and rural land. I will deal with the termites.

Termites hiding in your home

Here in Tallahassee, Florida, we have optimum conditions for wood destoying organisms, including termites. We have ideal moisture conditions which termites need.

Our subterranean termites are the largest termite type. They get their moisture from the soil and work their way up into the wood structure or wood objects in the home or around the home. They use flattened mud tunnels with a stable humidity content to reach into the home”s wood structure, which most homes have. I have yet to see a home not having a wood frame in this part of the country.

Our drywood termites get their moisture from the wood itself. Wood absorbs moisture from the air since the air has moisture. These termites do not come from the soil. They make tunnels in the wood above the ground, going with the grain of the wood, and leaving pellets, which the subterranean termites do not leave. You take a flashlight and put the pellets on the glass of the light and the pellets will appear red, indicating that the termites are the drywood type.

I recently wnt into someone’s attic and poked around with someone who is a termite expert. He tapped on wood studs with a screwdriver, found soft, hollow spots all over with trails filled with termite pellots. The attic and home was infested with termites. We did not see living termites, but had all the evidence we needed that termites are feasting on the wood. Parts of wood boards were eaten away. There may have been 15 termite colonies in that home. What a shame. The colony has its workers that have to go out looking for other wood in the structure. A colony of termites may have multiple pairs of kings and queens. Each king and queen pair leave the colony to make a new termite colony somewhere, either in the same building or elsewhere.

Besides finding pellets that appear red on the light of the fashlight, another way to identify if there are termites is by finding wings at an open light source. Only the kings and queens have wings, while the soldier and worker termites, the most numerous demographic do not. Look along window frames, and door entrances foe those termite wings. Another way to locate evidence of termite activity is by beating the baseboards along the interior walls with the head of a screwdriver. The hollow sound may be an indication of wood eaten out by termites. You then take the screwdriver and see if you can open up the hollow wood, or soft wood. You may see thousandas of tiny termite pellets falling out.

In the attic and on the walls, you need to look for darken spots or moisture spots. That is a good sign as well after further exloration.

These are ways of finding termites or evidence of termites. ThIs termite friend and expert took the time to educate me about termites, and how to find clues of their presence. So now, I feel like a termite detective. Here in humid Tallahassee, it is not a bad skill to have, finding termites. I have seen homes lost or badly damaged to termite activity in Tallahassee. This is where the expertise of pest control companies come in to play. I am willing to spend some money to have my home protected.