DRYWOOD TERMITES

Drywood termites are social insects that live in colonies in sound, dry wood. Each colony consists of offspring from an original pair (male and female). In comparison to other termites drywood colonies are rather small (a few thousand individuals), and the colony develops relatively slowly. They neither live in the ground nor maintain contact with the soil, and they do not build mud tubes.

Moisture is not as important to drywood termites as it is to subterranean termites. Drywood termites require no contact with the soil or with any other source of moisture. They extract water from the wood on which they feed, and also produce water internally during the digestive process. They require as little as 2.5 to 3 percent moisture, but prefer wood with 10 percent moisture content.

Drywood termites often establish nests in roof materials and wooden wall supports accessed under eaves. However, despite being capable of surviving on low wood moisture they are also found in wood associated with a water source such as a leaky pipe or water heater. Dead wood accumulating around buildings and homes often serves as a source of infestation. Homeowners most commonly confuse winged ants with termite alates as several species of ants and termites swarm during the same season.

The Western Drywood Termite is the most destructive drywood termite in Arizona. They swarm during the daylight hours usually during the months of May through early August in Arizona. They fly into attics accessible areas of poorly vented houses. A favorite place for entry is in the crack created by drying plaster or stucco as it pulls away from window and door frames. It is necessary for most termites to be able to get a purchase on the wood that it intends to invade. Normally, termites will not just land on wood tunnel effectively. However, if they can crawl down into cracks and crevices, their chances of tunneling successfully are greatly increased.
Generally, the first sign of infestation is the discovery of fecal pellets on windowsills or near lights.  Another indication of infestation is the presence of discarded wings near emergence sites, on windowsills or caught up in cobwebs.

Drywood termites spend their entire lives inside wood. They construct round "kick holes" in infested wood, through which the fecal pellets are eliminated from the galleries or tunnels. These pellets accumulate in small piles below the kick holes,  Fecal pellets are distinctive and used for identification of drywood termite infestation. Drywood fecal pellets are hard, elongated and less than 1/25 inch long. They have rounded ends and six flattened or concavely depressed sides with ridges at angles between the six surfaces.  Typically the pellets are a light tan in color with some black ones mixed in. Wood, which has a dull or hollow sound when tapped, should be examined closely.  



Call me if you are thinking of buying or selling Tucson Real Estate;

Julie Nellis, ABR, ASR, GRI, e-Pro
Associate Broker
Long Realty
1890 E. River Rd
Tucson, AZ  85718
520-918-3843