Termites, more than many other insects, are very similar across the species. It can feel impossible to distinguish between the types of termites since they are all small and enjoy eating wood. While it is safe to assume that any termite is bad news, it can be helpful to know the differences between species before thinking about treatments or professional services. Chesterfield has a few different kinds of termites, but two are more common than others.

Drywood termites are not actually native to Missouri, so the only reason they are so common to Chesterfield is because they travel in furniture and other wooden objects that are delivered to the area. These termites are most active in warm weather and can blend in with light-colored wood, as the insects are white or brown in color. Drywood termites are some of the largest termites, measuring about 1/4 of an inch to 1 inch long. They predictably enjoy dry wood the most, so drywood termites can be found in dry framework and furniture. The young termites are responsible for the destructive tunnels, as they cease working when they reach adulthood. They only have about 2,500 termites per colony, but the millions of dollars worth of damage they do annually is enough to solidify their place as an absolute terror of a pest.

Eastern subterranean termites are the most common in Missouri and other Midwestern states. True to their name, these termites keep their colonies below ground in burrows and underneath structures. They invade through cracks in the cement or flooring, then use their strong mandibles to dig even deeper and create their nests. Eastern subterranean termites are flat and only 1/8 of an inch long, so they are even more difficult to spot than other termites. As opposed to drywood termites, these ones have a worker class that continues chewing tunnels for their entire two-year-long lives. The soldier class protects any holes in the tunnels until the workers can repair them, while the swarmers wait until spring to fly to a new nesting location nearby and begin laying eggs for an entirely new colony.

As helpful as it can be to know which kind of termite is plaguing your Chesterfield home, it is not necessary to do a full assessment on your own in order to contact professional pest control. The experienced technicians of Pointe Pest Control will do that for you when we arrive for the termite service. We use our assessment of the species and infestation size to determine the necessary treatments, as we want to solve each termite problem as soon as possible. Contact us to learn more about our environmentally-friendly treatments and how Pointe provides the most reliable termite control services in Chesterfield!