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Recognizing and Conquering Termite Problems
Termites scare people. They understand that these creatures could bring great havoc to their home and property if given the chance to do so. Once termites inhabit a home, it becomes susceptible to ruin. It becomes a dangerous place to live in and a difficult one to market. This is perhaps the reason why termites have become a fearful enemy of homeowners. Their invasion is a quiet one. We do know of their existence and how menacing termites could be. What we may not be familiar with are the details of their existence in order to be able to understand them and to succeed in keeping them away from one's home.
They live like ants, and they are also known as white ants. They live together, hordes of them, in what we call colonies. They survive mostly on the likes of dead leaves, wood, or damp soil. A single colony can wreak havoc to any structure, like homes and buildings, even to forests and crops.
At a glance, they most likely look like ants that are white in color, hence the name white ants. It also has several other features similar to the ants, such as physical appearance, social movements, and size. But at a closer look, termites, compared to ants, are obviously lighter in color. They are also fatter, softer in texture, and with tinier legs and move more slowly than ants. They, in fact, have features which make them more similar to cockroaches rather than ants. A number of experts prefer that they be classified separately rather than being included in the Hymenoptera class in which ants belong.
The regular termites posses a large mouth structure intended for biting. They are essentially small; their size do not reach over one centimeter long. They dwell in dark burrows, stay together in colonies, and rarely go out outside of their dwelling. The few occasions when they go out include the departure of winged alates, or baby termites, in large numbers, who leave their colony to look for other areas to serve as their new nests. Another instance is when the termites that feed on grass or litter hunt for food. They also go out when they build a shelter.
Living in colonies is what they have in common with ants. They live together, also like ants, which is why they are considered social insects. Your regular termite colony may have a few hundred to as many as a million termites. They work together to hunt for food in order to survive.
Their organization is composed of three levels, the reproductives to which their queen belongs, then the workers whose task is to forage for food and feed the colony, and the soldiers with their strength and armour, protecting the colony from the attacks of ants.
Even if termites frighten people, their onslaught can be controlled, if not prevented, in homes and other structures. Find the time to study them, and the indications that they have probably come to your place. They could be overcome, thereby preventing tremendous destruction to your property. There are established methods of controlling them. The earlier the detection, the less serious the damage termites can bring.
About the Author Many people ask: what does a termite look like? For a simple answer, termites appear like small white colored ants. However, there are important differences. Termite pictures can help you learn what these pests look like so you can combat them quickly.
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