There’s a good chance you have at least a basic knowledge of termites. They eat wood and can damage your home – what else is there to understand, right? The truth is, the more you know about termites, the more prepared you’ll be if you encounter an infestation. Here are a few termite facts (some more fun than others) to close out Termite Awareness Week:
They never sleep. Termites spend 24 hours a day eating and building their colonies.
Termite colonies are big. A typical subterranean termite colony can contain between 60,000 and 1 million termites.
No ants allowed. Ants are termites’ primary competition for territory and food. Ant and termite colonies in close proximity to one another have been known to go to “war”.
A “caste” of characters. Termites are eusocial, meaning they live in a caste system. The system consists of worker, soldier, and reproductive termites, each caste performing a different role in the colony.
Lots of mouths to feed. Soldier and reproductive termites are unable to feed themselves, relying on the workers to feed them via regurgitation (yum).
So fresh and so clean. Termites are very clean insects; they spend a lot of time grooming one another to protect the colony from bacteria and parasites.
Good vibrations. Termites use vibration to communicate. Soldiers bang their heads against tunnel walls to alert the colony to danger.
Babies… Lots of babies. Queens of some termite species can lay over 40,000 eggs per day. You read that right: Per. Day.
They’re not cheap dates. It is estimated that termites cause about $5 billion of damage each year in the U.S. With repairs averaging around $3,000, that adds up quickly – and most homeowner’s insurance does not cover these costs.
Termites are interesting - from a safe distance. When they're in your home, it's a different story. If you suspect you have a termite problem, call a professional right away: The experts at Burgess Pest are here to Protect Your Pad from these tiny terrors all year long.
