Wood Destroying Insects
Glen Carbon, IL, is home to several insect species that can cause damage to wooden structures and furniture. By getting to know the wood-destroying insects that exist in this area, you can identify pest problems in your home and get appropriate help from local pest control experts.
Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites love damp, humid places, so you are most likely to find them residing in your bathroom or in a part of your home affected by leaky pipes. These termites are the most destructive wood-destroying insects you are likely to come across in Glen Carbon, IL. The damage they cause to hardwood floors and wooden structures often look like water damage, as it can cause the wood to warp and buckle.
Subterranean termites live in soil and gain access to people’s homes by crawling through cracks in the foundation or walls. Keeping your foundation and the exterior of your home in good condition is the best way to prevent these termites from gaining access. Not storing wood close to your house can also help to deter these annoying pests.
Subterranean termites produce mud tubes in infested parts of a home and around the areas where they gained access. Look out for this distinctive sign of these incredibly destructive insects. Call a local pest control company right away if you find signs of a subterranean termite infestation.
Dry Wood Termites
Dry wood termites are not typically as destructive as subterranean termites, but they can still do a lot of damage to floors and furniture. When they become well-established in a wooden floor or item, they can eventually eat away so much wood that they cause cracks to appear on the surface. Before that happens, you might notice their droppings around the base of the infested furniture item, which looks like grains of sand.
Dry wood termites typically enter the home when an infested piece of furniture is brought indoors. Always be cautious when shopping for furniture at second-hand stores or yard sales. Look for signs of dry wood termite infestation, such as tiny holes on the legs or around the base of the item, before you buy any type of wooden furniture.
Glen Carbon pest control experts handle many cases of dry wood termites, allowing residents to save their treasured floors and furniture. Never hesitate to get in touch if you think that termites might be present in your home.
Carpenter Ants
When most people think of wood-destroying insects in Glen Carbon, IL, they picture termites, but carpenter ants are almost as dangerous. They can chew through wood remarkably quickly, expelling debris behind them in the form of sawdust. In addition to wood dust, you might also notice dead ants or holes in your infested wood.
Carpenter ants generally prefer wood that has been softened by rot or fungus. Try to fix any problems with dampness in your home quickly to avoid attracting these opportunistic feeders.
Carpenter ants can be red, brown, or black. They are typically about half an inch long and have six legs and a segmented oval body.
How to Prevent Wood Destroying Insects in Glen Carbon, IL
Termites and carpenter ants are common in Glen Carbon, IL, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of them taking up residence in your home. Removing sources of water and food from around your home are the most important things you can do, along with sealing up cracks in your home’s foundation to keep insects out. Move piles of wood and mulch away from your house to stop wood-destroying insects from using them as a bridge into your home.
Regular termite inspections can help to identify infestations of wood-destroying insects as soon as they start. The sooner you deal with a termite or carpenter ant infestation, the easier it is to get rid of all the insects, kill their eggs to prevent a new generation from hatching, and prevent them from coming back in the future.
How to Treat Wood Destroying Insects in Glen Carbon, IL
If you spot the signs of a termite or carpenter ant infestation in your Glen Carbon home, don’t panic. Local pest control experts can use appropriate products to treat the infestation and give you termite prevention tips to help reduce the risk of the pests coming back.
Professional pest control is the best option to get rid of an infestation of wood-destroying insects in your Glen Carbon, IL home. Using pest control products yourself at home might kill the current generation of termites or carpenter ants, but new ones are likely to hatch or come into your home to fill the void. Always opt for professional pest control to get rid of these pests as quickly as possible and keep your home safe over the long term.
