Spring is here and so are the termites...
Yes, spring brings lots of flowers, warm days, beautiful sunsets on the beach, lots of college kids and definitely more bugs—including those pesky termites. Spring is a time when drywood termites swarm and you just might find them in your home.
It’s pretty easy to spot drywood termites if you know what you are looking for. For instance, if they swarm into your house, you might even see it. I saw a swarm once and couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a small cloud circling around the light in my living room. Not a happy sight! But that is more rare than what they leave behind.
After swarming, they will find a piece of wood to bore into. When they do this, they drop their wings. So one way you can spot drywood termites is if you find small wings that are very narrow at one end. The wings are iridescent, shining like little rainbows. You’ll just find wings, no buggies anywhere. But don’t be fooled by how pretty they might be; they are a sure sign that you’ve just been invaded by drywood termites.
Another sign of drywood termites is their droppings, which may seem to come from no apparent cause. But if you look above the little pile very carefully, you might see a very small hole, or if you tap the wood above, you may get more droppings coming out. The droppings themselves are pretty easy to identify, as they look like a pile of teeny, tiny round balls. The color is a very light tan when they are fresh, and they darken to black as they get older.
If you see any of the signs of drywood termites, be sure to call on someone who can help you treat your home right away.
I’ve been using and recommending Bingham Termite for years, as they are very dependable and reasonably priced. Their phone number is 727-525-7292.
I’ve also just learned about a company that uses a “green” product to treat your home, and they advertise that they will be 10% less than your lowest fumigation (tenting) quote. Their name and number is: X-Terminate Tampa, 727-545-9800.
Pam Ryan Anderson, Real Estate Broker, Ryan Realty, 727-442-2822