Termites

Subterranean, Drywood and Desert Western termites are commonly found in Arizona.

Subterranean termites are the most common and threatening to structural damage. They are subterranean and attack from the ground up.

Drywood termites also invade structures. They live above ground and colonize inside the structure.

Desert Western termites are minimally harmful to structures and attack dead grass and debris found from plants. They also are attracted to cardboard and paper debris.

Facts

Subterranean, Drywood and Western Desert termites show signs of infestation.

Subterranean termites build mud tubes, they cannot survive outside of, on the foundation, walls or ceilings of a structure.

Drywood termites create kick holes in the wood they are infesting, an infestation is usually identified by piles of small, wood colored, pellets of fecal matter next to the wood they are infesting.

Desert Western termites build fat, non symmetrical mud tubes and are usually found on the ground or on dead or dying plants.

Solutions

Subterranean termite treatments by professionals is your best defense at eliminating the infestation.

Treating around the structure and inside and outside the foundation ensures chemical saturation and elimination of infestation.

It is very common for subterranean termites to reappear or re infest a structure, treatments commonly come with a one year warranty to handle any recurrence after initial treatment.

Ask questions when hiring a professional, make sure your treatment include inside the foundation as well as the perimeter of the home, some companies only treat the exterior side of the foundation which may not eliminate termite colonies located in the center of the home.

Drywood termite infestations should also be managed by a licensed professional, some infestations can be managed with a spot treatment while others may require a full fumigation of the structure.

Western Desert termite infestations can be managed simply by applying a strong stream of water to the tubes. They are very fragile and in most cases washing them away will eliminate the problem.

It is very important to clean and clear the debris the Western Desert termites were infesting to help avoid reoccurrence.