Instructions / Assembly

3
Termite Facts
• In the U.S., over 600,000 homes are infested with termites each year and cause more than
$1.5 billion in damage.
• Worker termites forage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They never sleep.
•
T
ermites have been around for over 300 million years.
• Termites rarely expose themselves to light and can actually die from direct
sunlight exposure.
•
Subterranean worker termites forage in search of wood-based food sources.
•
T
ermite queens are believed to live 15 to 25 years and are capable of laying an egg every
15 seconds.
•
F
ormosan termites, an aggressive variety of subterranean termite, eat not only dead wood
and houses but even attack live trees. In New Orleans, Formosans threaten the city’s
famous live oaks, and termite baits are being used to help control them.
• Subterranean termite colonies can be found in the soil anywhere from 2 to 12 ft deep.
•
An infested home may ha
ve up to three or four subterranean termite colonies around it.
How Do I Know If I Have Termites?
None
Slight
Moderate
Heavy
Very Heavy
Subterranean termites are
found in 49 of the 50 states and
Puerto Rico (everywhere except
Alaska).
• Swarming or flying termites in the house, especially near sources of light. Termites typically
swarm from January to July.
• Small wings near windows, doors or in the garage.
•
Mud tunnels along the founda
tion of your house, inside or outside.
• Small holes in the wood or drywall or buckling paint.
Warning Signs
Termites rarely come to the surface of what they’re eating, so most of the time you will
never know they have invaded your home until it is too late. If they have, you may see some
of these warning signs:
Note: Levels of termite infestation
in any category may vary,
depending on local conditions.
Source: Council of American
Building Officials, One and Two
Family Building code.