Westchester's Complete Subterranean Termite Control Guide

As the most common termites in the United States, identifying subterranean termites isn’t always easy. There are three different types of subterranean termites, and each one looks a little different:

• Soldiers: These subterranean termites defend their colonies, and you can recognize them by their large mandibles, creamy-white coloring, and brown heads.
• Alates (swarmers): Usually black or dark brown, swarmers have two pairs of wings and are often mistaken for flying ants.
• Workers: At only ¼ of an inch in length, workers are cream-colored and don’t have any wings.

Subterranean termites get their name from where they build their nests. Rather than hiding in your walls as drywood termites do, subterranean termites like to build their nests underground where there’s more moisture.

Unfortunately, finding these pests isn’t good news – left untreated, subterranean termites can do a lot of damage, so here’s what you should know about the extent of damage they can do, how you can prevent them, and the best way to deal with an active infestation.

How Much Damage Can Subterranean Termites Do In Westchester?

As far as termites go, subterranean termites tend to cause the most damage. Not only do they build bigger colonies, but they’re also underground, which makes it easier for them to hide and go unnoticed for longer periods of time. In some cases, there may even be multiple subterranean termite colonies feasting on the same home, which only adds to the damage they’ll cause.

Subterranean termites slowly eat away at the wood in your home, and while they can eat up to a pound of wood per day, their presence could go undetected for years. By the time many homeowners discover their subterranean termite problem, these pests have already caused thousands of dollars (or more) in structural damage.

The signs of a subterranean termite problem may not be obvious, but include:

• Dirt on your wall where subterranean termites have come in contact with the soil.
• Mud tunnels near the foundation of your home.
• Walls sounding hollow when you tap on them.
• Discarded wings from termite swarms around your home or property.

If you notice signs of termites on your Westchester property, it's important to take action right away.

How To Prevent Subterranean Termites In Westchester

One of the most important parts of termite control is making sure they don’t end up in your home at all – and that comes down to termite prevention. Here are some tips to keep your home and property looking less attractive to these pests.

Remove Their Food Sources

Cellulose materials, like cotton, bamboo, or even linen, are all part of a subterranean termite’s diet, so you don’t want to keep them around. Specifically, it’s important to keep cellulose materials out of areas where subterranean termites might find them – like crawl spaces and areas near the foundation of your home.

If you have to use cellulose or wooden siding, keep these materials at least six inches away from your foundation or six inches off the ground.

Deal With Excess Moisture

Like any pest, subterranean termites are after your water, too – especially if it’s around the foundation of your home or crawl spaces. You’ll need to deal with any excess moisture problems, like leaky pipes or flooded gutters, that may contribute to water pooling near your foundation, in the basement, or your crawl space.

Deny Access

Besides getting rid of potential attractions, you can also deny subterranean termites access. Wood-to-ground is the most common access point for them, so you’ll want to be careful about keeping wood too close to your home.

Sealing any cracks, crevices, or holes near your water and gas lines is another way to deny access to these pests.

Get An Annual Inspection

Since the signs of subterranean termites can go unnoticed for so long, it’s never a bad idea to get an annual inspection of your home – a professional will be able to spot the signs of a termite infestation. If you do have termites, an inspection can help ensure that you catch it early.

How To Protect Your Property From Subterranean Termites In Westchester

If you do have an active subterranean termite infestation, there’s no need to let these pests cause any more damage than they already have – and that means getting professional help from those of us at Parkway Pest Services.

Not only can we root out a subterranean termite infestation, but we can also see how much structural damage they’ve managed to cause. If you suspect you’ve got subterranean termites, call us at Parkway Pest Services today to learn more about our termite control program.