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Are There Termites In Arizona?

If you’re looking for termite treatment in Phoenix, AZ then you’re likely looking to solve termite issues in your home or place of business. And a big part of knowing how to deal with any pest problem is by correctly identifying what kind of pest it is in the first place.

If you’ve searched for “termite treatment companies near me” and you’re in Arizona, then mayb you already know there’s an estimated 3 to 5 termite colonies occupying per acre of land in the state. While people may think of drywood termites as being problematic – and they are – it’s subterranean termites that are more prevalent in this termite-prevalent state, and we’ll be discussing some differences later on in this entry.

Regardless of what kind of termite it is, these pests cause more property damage than a lot of other natural disasters like earthquakes and fires combined. Termites greatly weaken wooden structural foundations and wreak havoc throughout your home by eating or chewing through wooden walls, ceilings, flooring – and beyond that, things that contain glucose (which is what they feed on) like wooden fixtures, drywalls, wallpaper, cotton, books, memorabilia and the list goes on.

DRYWOOD TERMITES

If you find a termite nest inside the wood, then those are likely drywood termites, and don’t need to come in contact with soil at all unlike subterranean termites that nest from the soil and come up the house from under it.

Another thing you can also use to tell if it’s a drywood termite is by the frass or excrement they leave behind. These look like fine grains of sand or even fine sawdust – and these get pushed out from small holes in the wood where the termites have infested.

They’re less likely to be picky eaters and eat across the wood grains.

SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES

As their name indicates, these are termites that nest in the ground and may find themselves in your home because their colony is near your home and possibly even above it. If you find mud tubes in your home, then these are likely subterranean termites.

These termites also don’t leave frass or any visible droppings – instead what they leave behind would be carton, or a cardboard-like excrement that lines their mud tubes.

Another thing you can use to differentiate between the two would be that subterranean termites are more picky eaters, chewing only the softest part of the wood between wood grains, so what they leave behind is more neat lines as opposed to more erratic patterns from drywood termites.

ANTS

During certain times of the year, termites and ants produce winged swarmers. If you find these winged bugs and you’re not sure if it’s a termite or an ant, here are a few key differences:

  • Termite swarmers have a straight waist, while ant swarmers have a very distinguishable pinched waist.
  • Termite swarmers have 4 wings that are the same size, while ant swarmers have 4 wings with the front pair of wings being noticeably longer than the rear pair of wings

If you think you have termites in your home or property, get rid of them right away before they do any more damage. If you’ve ever had a pest problem that you hesitated to get professional assistance on, termites should definitely be not one of them.

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