Size: 1/8" to 1"

Habitat: Termites cannot live aboveground; they must be underground to survive. They live in tunnels underground, using mud to build "tubes" when going aboveground.

Damage: Termites eat wood, plastic, wallpaper, and fabrics made from plants.  They can cause extensive damage to the structure of a home.  In fact, termites cause over $5 billion in damage to homes in the U.S. each year.¹

Prevention: Do not let water pool around your house; this creates moisture, which termites thrive on.  When mulching gardens, allow a gap of a few inches between the mulch and the house.

How can I tell if I have termites?
Every spring, termite colonies will send out reproductives, called "swarmers", to start new colonies.  Swarmers look a lot like winged ants, but the diagram below can help you determine the difference.  Also, when traveling aboveground, termites will build tunnel systems, called "tubes", out of mud; finding fresh tubes on your property is a sure indication you have termites.

Please note, however, that these things in themselves do not necessarily mean that you have an infestation.  Other insects make "tubes" out of mud, and sometimes visible activity can be thought to be recent when, in fact, it is years old.  Only a certified pest control professional, who is WDI-Certified², can tell for sure.  Foster's Pest Control is WDI-Certified, and we would be happy to come out and inspect your property at no cost.

• Termite colonies can have up to 2 million members
• Termites cause over $5 billion in damage to homes in the U.S. each year

• Termite colonies eat non-stop
• The total weight of all of the termites in the world is more than the weight of all the humans in the world