General Information on Termites

Termites are small organisms that live underneath the ground. These subterranean organisms construct small structures that retain enough moisture for their survival. Termites are insects which live in colonies with a similar social structure to ants. In these colonies, there are workers and reproducing termites. The workers role is to provide food for the whole colony and tend to the needs of the queen. There are also soldier termites which have a purpose to defend the colony.

Termites have the ability to survive almost indefinitely in any kind of saturated soil, as long as there is no water. The absence of water is essential for termite survival as it can flood termite colony tunnels. Termites can cause damage to not only living trees and shrubs, but also to dead wood used for the construction of homes. Termites are often called the “silent destroyer” because they may be secretly hiding and thriving in your basement or yard without any immediate signs of damage.

Buildings and especially wooden structures can become infested by termites. These creatures can consume dead wood matter and thus cause structural damage on the foundation of the house. If you are buying a house then you should certainly have someone perform a termite inspection to determine whether the house has an infestation. Termites can cause extensive damage to a home which can in turn cost a lot of money to repair.