The Different Types of Termites
Just like there isn’t a singly type of ant, there are several different categories of termites. The primary distinction is based on their habitat. There are two major groups of termites, the ones that live in dry wood and the ones that live in damp or wet rotten wood. These termites live inside wood of varying levels of decay and moisture content.
A colony of termites is not usually dependent on one food source. They will have their based but workers will travel around to find new fertile grounds for feeding. Consequently, a single colony can cause damage to different parts of your home without you realizing.
When treating termites with chemicals it is imperative to take in consideration that termites have an inate survival mechanism to avoid areas with other sick or dead termites. These survival mechanisms have to do with the developed social structures of the creature’s colonies. By natures termites are social insects and they are related to cockroaches. Although known as ‘white ants’, they are not ants and their relationships with other insects remain unclear.
In the wild, they are building extraordinary cathedral-like mounds with clever ventilation systems. In urban settings, termites are notorious for eating wooden houses - in southern Ontario they cause more damage to homes than storms and fires combined.
Even though a fascinating creature, no home owner in Toronto would want to deal with a termite infestation. Termites are major detrivores and their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance. The most common type of termite throughout our region is the subterranean termite which is found in most of the south central part of the city at the older neighborhoods.
If you think you might have a termite problem then you ought to consult a professional. Even if you are buying an older Toronto home you should definitely get someone to do a termite inspection for you.