When warm weather returns in the spring, a surge in insects that damage wood like termites, carpenter ants and carpenter bees occurs. Understanding the risk is crucial to avoid damage to your home.

What Are White Ants?

White ants do not exist. Ants can be red, brown, or black, but not white. When people see a white ant, it is a termite. Unfortunately, the word white ant has through time acquired a different manner of reference to termites, which further complicates things.

Are White Ants Dangerous?

“White ants” – which are termites – are harmful to your property, not to people. Termites themselves neither bite people nor carry disease. However, a termite infestation can trigger allergies and asthma attacks due to the increased level of irritants in the air due to the wood damage they cause.

Are White Ants and Termites the same thing?

Yes! What people call white ants are termites. A termite can come in one of three varieties – wet wood, dry wood, and subterranean.

Dry wood termites are not common in the United States. The damp wood termite is usually found in heavily forested areas… so they are not usually an issue on Cathedral City.

Subterranean termites are a threat to Cathedral City and, unfortunately, the most destructive type of termite. They need the dampness of living in soil, which is another common misunderstanding. 

People assume termites live in the wood beams because they devour them. Instead, they make a colony in the dirt outside the home and use mud tubes to travel from the colony to the wood they are infesting.

Signs of White Ants/Termites Are:

Hollow Sounding Wood. 

If you tap a piece of wood or a beam and hear a hollow sound, it is almost always an indication of a termite infestation.

Sound. 

Termites make a clicking sound that can sometimes be heard within the wood.

Difficult to Open Doors and Windows. 

Moisture from the termite activity can warp window and door frames, making them hard to open and close.

Mud Tubes. 

Some people have referred to mud tubes as a “termite highway” because they construct and use them to travel from their subterranean homes and the wood they devour. Mud tubes are a clear sign of a termite or “white ant” infestation, and that it is time for termite treatment.

Palm Spring Pest Control Can Protect Your Home from Termites

Termites, carpenter ants, and carpenter bees can cause severe damage to your home. If you suspect an issue, call or contact Palm Spring Pest Control experts to identify it and remove it. For more information, schedule a consultation today.