There are an estimated 4,000 species of termites but it is believed only 10% of those species can actually be considered pests because of the damage they cause to buildings and crops. There are three species of pest termites in California; the drywood, the dampwood and the subterranean. Below I’ll point out the differences between the drywood termite and the subterranean termite.

Drywood termites are most often seen in southern California but they can also be found along the coast; these termites wont be found in regions where the temperature drops below freezing. Here are some basic facts about the drywood termite.

• Difficult to detect -  these termites live deep inside wood and typically aren’t seen until there’s a swarm
• Their colonies are small…usually less than 1,000
• Unlike other species of termites, drywoods do not need contact with the soil to survive
• They can tolerate long periods of dry conditions
• These termites will consume wood from framing, furniture, structural timbers and even hardwood floors

Because drywood termites are difficult to detect and can cause significant damage, do-it-yourself treatment is not recommended. Seek help from a professional termite control company if you think you may have a drywood termite infestation.

The subterranean termite is another species of the insect that can be found throughout the state. These termites can tolerate cooler temperatures than the drywood termites so naturally they are found more often around the United States. While still a species of termite, the subterranean is very different from the drywood termite (other than their love for wood). Below is some information about the subterranean termite.

• Subterranean termites are noticeably smaller than drywood termites
• These termites require a moist environment…they can often be found near the soil and in wood that is rotten
• They often damage structural supports and foundations
• Alaska is the only state where subterranean termites are not found
• The colonies of these termites are much larger than drywood termite colonies

The subterranean is the most destructive of any termite found in California. Once again, please contact a professional when a termite problem is suspected.

Did you know termites are considered social insects? There is a definite hierarchy with termites and each termite knows its role within the colony.

With flowers and warmer weather usually brings spring swarmers, also known as flying termites. There are two species of termites in Southern California that are often classified as swarmers, they include:

• Drywood termites (see pic to the left)
• Subterranean termites (see below)

Both drywood termites and subterranean termites usually do most of their damage with out directly bothering humans or even being seen, but this isn’t the case during the spring. Once a year, both species will send out winged termites called alates. Unlike most termites, these special winged termites are created just to reproduce and expand the colony.

What to do? The alates don’t cause damage themselves but if left alone, the colony could create can a problem when the pests start looking for food. The most effective way to protect your home from these pests is to hire a professional pest control company, someone who can both inspect, find the source and treat the problem.

It’s important to note that while you may see swarmers in your yard, it doesn’t mean they are coming from your house. The swarmers could be coming from an old tree or other dead plant material; it’s still advisable to get a complete inspection.

Fumigation also known as tenting, is a method of pest control that completely gets rid of pests within the area being fumigated.

The pests are eradicated with the use of pesticides in gas form. Methyl bromide used to be the most widely used pesticide in tenting but has since been restricted because of its environmental damage. Nowadays there are several fumigants that can be used including formaldehyde, methyl isocyanate and hydrogen cyanide.

The structure is either sealed with plastic, tape or other materials or the entire structure is tented with the use of nylon tarps. See pic above. The length of fumigation or tenting can vary from a couple hours to a week; depending on the pest problem and the size of the structure.

It’s important to remember that the pesticides used to kill the termites can also kill or poison other living things. All people, pets (fish included), plants, etc… are to be removed. Also, it’s a good idea to remove or completely seal anything that will eventually be ingested (pills too!).

Proper precautions are taken when it comes to fumigation. For instance, the re-entry date, time and other information will posted on the house when the structure is safe to re-enter. But, if headaches, nausea or any other symptoms appear after re-entering the structure, leave immediately and contact a doctor or poison control.

For more in depth information about fumigation, view California’s Structural Pest Control Board’s FAQ about fumigation.

Fumigation is an aggressive method of pest control but it’s not flawless. Since the pesticide used is in gas form, there is no poison left behind so the termites or other pests can return. Also, the deadly dosage of pesticide for one pest may not be enough to kill another pest. But if fumigation is performed correctly, the target pest should be eradicated.

Most people think termites are the only insects that can inflict damage to property. But in fact they are just one in a list of insects that eat (and destroy) wood. The list of wood-destroying insects includes carpenter ants, termites (several species), round-headed borers, carpenter bees, wood destroying beetles, brown wood rot and several others.

Different wood-destroying insects prefer different types of wood. For instance, termites generally like soft wood that is found in the structure of the building but round-headed borers like both soft and hard wood less than 10 years old. LivingWithBugs.com has a really informative chart about wood destroying insects (pdf). The chart lists the insect, the type of wood it prefers, damage potential and a few other facts.

Wondering what brown wood rot is? Brown wood rot (there is also a white wood rot) is actually a decay fungi that typically grows on wood with a lot of moisture. Both brown and white wood rot is sometimes mistaken for termite damage but can be disproved once it is determined there aren’t any tunnels or sawdust.

So when a termite inspection is preformed, termites are just one of the pests being inspected for. And termites aren’t the only insect that can destroy your home, porch or deck.