(Newswire.net — May 22, 2019) — Termites are nasty little creatures and you need to be on the lookout for warning signs of termites in your garden or yard. Most people think termites are only a problem when they’re inside your house but the truth is, termites residing in your yard are also dangerous because these creepy crawlies like to tunnel. Sometimes people don’t know when termites are present, because they don’t know the signs of termites in yard to look for.
Signs of Termites in Yard
If you have any wooden decorations, chairs or other items in your yard made of wood, a termite infestation can destroy them and even make it their stepping stone to entering inside your house. But how do you know if termites have started invading your yard?
Flying Termites
Also called alates or swarmers, flying termites are usually the first sign of a termite infestation. Some species will swarm at night while others will swarm during the day. Drywood termites, however, swarm after rain at particular times of the year. Flying termites will usually shed their wings once they find a mate so discarded wings can also point to an infestation.
Presence of Termite Tubes
Mud tubes on the bark of a tree are common tell-tale signs that termites have started to make residence in that area. Termites use the tubes as some sort of bridge from one nest to another as they’re hunting for food. They do so to prevent the sun from hitting them and to hide their presence. These tubes look like tunnels in wood and can be hard to see, but if you see them in a piece of broken timber around your premises, you can be sure termites have set camp in your yard.
Termite Droppings
A major sign of termites, particularly drywood termites is termite droppings. Drywood termites, unlike their subterranean counterparts, don’t use their feces to build tunnels. Instead, they push out their droppings from small holes near the entrances to the nest. As such, you’ll notice a dark powdery substance and small black marks around infested areas.
White Ants
Many people confuse termites with white ants. It’s easy to mistake the two because both termites and ants are similar in both size, shape and, in some cases, behavior. Nonetheless, there are several significant differences between the two. For instance, termites are light in color, usually white or creamy and sometimes translucent. On the other hand, there is no such thing as a white ant. If you spot anything that looks like a white ant, the chances are termites have infested your yard.
Drying Trees
This is a huge sign that termites have infested your yard. Termites like to feed on trees from the inside out so if you notice trees with signs of distress such as rotten branches falling off or a hollow sound when tapped, the chances are your garden is infested.
In Conclusion
Once termites have infested your garden, there’s also a huge possibility that they’re inside your home. So, once you notice signs of termites in yard, it’s best to treat your home ASAP to avoid potential termite damage to your home.