Types Of Termites

There are thousands of types of termites. Literally, thousands of types of termites. Most warm countries have their own types of termites and often these termites do not cross borders easily, although some do like the dreaded Formosan subterranean termite. The residents of any country that has termites have enough problems of their own already. If you need more information about the types of termites around you, please read on.

Types Of Termites

In fact, there are about 4,000 known main types of termites, but what will concern homeowners is that about 400 species or ten percent of them are a threat to our homes. Termites like warm countries, so places like northern Europe and northern North America and Canada have nothing to worry about. Southern North America, Central and Latin America, Australia, Africa and Asia are a different kettle of fish, however.

Termites are eusocial insects usually classified in the order Isoptera. Termites divide labour along gender lines, have overlapping generations and look after their young collectively. The ten percent that cause damage to houses, also includes those termites that will eat crops.

In fact, gground termites are very important to the ecosystem of the planet, because they recycle the cellulose part of wood and other dead cellulose material. Termites live in colonies as eusocial insects, which may contain as few as several hundred or as many as several million individual insects. They do not seem individuals though to us, they resemble the Borg from Star Trek.

There are basically three main types of termites: the dry wood termite, the damp wood termite and the subterranean termite. The subterranean types of termites are by far the worst. There are different types of termites that live in nests or colonies in trees, others that live above in mounds above ground and yet others that live below ground.

If you live in a zone where termites are active, you should take a few basic measures to reduce the likelihood of them moving into your house. First of all, regularly clear up any dead leaves from around the base of your property. Check any wooden part of your house that is near or in the ground. Look for signs of gnawing or rot and look for tunnels or mud tubes.

Termites are very photosensitive and wary of predators, so if they spot a piece of wood that they fancy, they will construct a walk-way, called a gallery of mud and faeces to get to it. These mud tubes are very distinctive and once seen will never be forgotten. (By the way, if someone trying to sell his house has removed these galleries, you will still see tell-tale marks).

Anyway, I said above, that 'if they spot a piece of wood that they fancy...', but the truth is that termite workers are blind, so they must spot timber by the smell of decay. This may mean that if you keep your property well maintained and painted, you will not get a problem from a marauding colony of termites.

Just remember that all the different types of termites that might infest your house would rather eat their way up through the centre of a length of timber (presumably because it is the newest and most succulent), so it is imperative that you soak the end grain in preservative too.