When it comes to termites, there are two main types: drywood and subterranean. Both of these types can cause significant damage to your home or business, but they require different treatment methods. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between these two types of termites, and we will also provide information on how to protect your property from them.
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Drywood Termites
The caste of drywood termites determines whether they are brown or white. Subterranean termites are smaller than these. Termites reside and build their nests in wooden constructions or dry wood.
They do not require soil contact to survive. Frass is the most prevalent indication of a drywood termite infestation. Drywood termites, unlike subterranean termites, do not employ frass in their nests. Frass can be found in mounds near an infestation and resembles sawdust.
Subterranean Termites
Drywood termites and subterranean termites have similar appearances; however, soldier and alate castes differ. Soldier subterranean termites have huge yellowish/brown heads, whereas alates (flying termites) are often dark brown/black in hue.
They must have access to water to exist; hence they normally reside in the soil. They require a link to the earth in order to make their nest and tunnels damp enough for them to thrive and create nests and tunnels.
Mud tubes are the top sign of subterranean termites. They are a dark brown combination of soil, wood, saliva, and excrement that may be discovered around a property’s foundations as well as along floor joints inside the building.
Size of Colony
Because of the size of their nests, subterranean termites cause more damage than drywood termites. Subterranean termite colonies are substantially bigger than drywood termite colonies; subterranean termites often number in the hundreds of thousands, whereas drywood termites are in the hundreds or thousands.
The Formosan subterranean termite, for example, may have colonies of up to 2 million individual insects.
The Swiftness of Damages These Termites Do
Even though drywood termite colonies are created inside the wood of a structure rather than in the ground outside, subterranean termites cause more damage to homes and businesses since their territories are larger.
Formosan subterranean termites, which can build wet enough nests to be formed inside buildings, are significantly more harmful.
The Amount of Damage These Termites Cause
Summer lumber is attacked by drywood termites, which may flourish in hard, dry wood. As a result, they can eat furniture, picture frames, railings, bed frames, and other wooden items. Subterranean termites seldom attack personal goods, but they can cause structural property damage.
The Evidence These Termites Leave
Drywood termites make microscopic holes in wood and push their droppings out of these holes when they infest buildings. These feces are firm and have a texture that is similar to pepper and coffee grounds.
Subterranean termites build mud tubes on foundation walls to travel from the earth to the wood of a structure when they infest it. These tubes are designed to protect worker termites from the sun’s and air’s drying effects. Subterranean termites build mud tubes initially, but after a nest has grown inside the building, they don’t require them.
Protecting Your Home From These Termites
There are ways to protect your home from these termites. Termites cannot eat treated lumber, so using treated lumber in the construction of a building or fence can help keep them away.
Another way to deter these pests is to install a moisture barrier around the foundation of your house. You can also use baits and traps, as well as physical barriers such as metal sheeting to stop subterranean termites from entering your property.
The best way to protect your home from these pests is to hire a professional termite control company. They will use the latest technologies to detect and treat any infestation. In addition, they will apply preventative measures so that your home won’t be infested by termites in the future.
FAQs About Dry Wood vs. Subterranean Termites
Here are the most frequently asked questions about dry wood vs. subterranean termites:
What Is Worse Drywood Termites or Subterranean Termites?
Subterranean termites are worse because they cause more damage than drywood termites.
How Do I Know if I Have Drywood or Subterranean Termites?
The best way to determine if you have drywood or subterranean termites is to hire a professional termite control company.
What Kind of Damage Do Drywood and Subterranean Termites Cause?
A single thick, black vein runs parallel to the top of the wing of subterranean alates. Drywood termites have a complicated vein system, with at least three or four veins in each wing.
Do Drywood Termites Build Tunnels?
Drywood termites don’t need it because they exclusively dig tunnels in wood.
Wrapping It Up
As you can see, there are a lot of differences between drywood and subterranean termites. The most important thing to remember is that both types have the ability to cause damage to your home or business if they go unchecked.
If you have additional questions you want to ask, do not hesitate to reach out!