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What is a drywood termite?
Drywood termites infest dry wood (hence the name) and they do not require contact with the soil as subterranean
termites do.
Drywood termites live in colonies,
which are made up of kings, queens and soldier termites.
The king and queen termites
don't really do much work. Their main purpose is to reproduce to grow the colony. The colors vary from
light brown (almost white) to a dark brown, with the average length of about 1/4 - 1 inch long.
Drywood termites are mostly
found in buildings and furniture. You can determine if your home is infested with drywood termites by
the excreted pellets of partly digested wood they leave behind. See picture to the right.
Sometimes it may be difficult to find the
pellets, so use a strong flashlight to help you see if darker areas. Another sign of termite infestation
is blisters on the surface of wood. Since termites tunnel close to the surface, you can often see little
bubbles where they travel. If you tap a screwdriver or wrench along the wood, a termite tunnel will give
off a hollow sound.
Drywood termites require different treatments
that do subterranean termites. It is usually best to have a professional termite professional come in
and take care of the treatments.
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