I don’t know why, but many people are shocked to hear that there are termites in Connecticut. The truth be told it’s actually a fairly common problem. I’m guessing that people mistakenly believe that since we have harsh winters there’s no way a termite could survive. However, Mother Nature is always working and gave termites a way to make it through.
The only termites in Connecticut are eastern subterranean termites. As the name suggests this particular insect completes it’s life cycle in the ground and only exposes itself during the reproductive stage. The eastern subterranean termite is able to survive the winter by heading deeper into the soil during the times of year that the ground is frozen. This particular strategy is also used by moles, Japanese beetle grubs and a host of other insects and animals.
The next logical question about termites in Connecticut is: if termites are so common, why don’t I see them? The truth is termites don’t want to be found (they’re cryptic by nature), but if you do have them here are some signs you may see.
- Swarms of 4 winged insects that lose their wings and die shortly thereafter
- Tubes of mud on cement walls or between pieces of framing like the garage frame
- Damaged wood that has a muddy substance inside
What to do?
The first thing to do is to make sure you have termites. Many people use the internet to identify insects, but sometimes what looks like a termite may actually be something else entirely. The insect most mistaken for a termite is the carpenter ant. A pro can easily tell the difference.
What’s different about ants and termites?
The answer is a lot. Carpenter ant workers are actually a shade of black while termite workers are a creamy white. Also, the chances of seeing eastern subterranean termites walking around your kitchen are slim. The only exception would be if you have a swarm of reproductives. A swarm consists of hundreds of small insects with long white wings. After they swarm, they’ll characteristically lose their wings and discard them close to the area they came from. The wings are easily seen by blowing on the floor and watching them loft into the air.
On the other side of the spectrum when you have carpenter ants you’ll see them walking across your kitchen floor and the reproductive forms are actually quite large. In some cases they can be ¼” in length. Last, the wings are a shade of tan and consist of 4 separate wings, 2 long and 2 short.
Professional inspections
In the end if you have termites the smartest thing you can do is call a professional. The reason is that a proper termite treatment takes special tools and know how. Calling a professional is the quickest easiest way to get rid of termites and protect your home.
If you have termites, please call 1-888-879-6481 for a free termite evaluation by Envirocare Pest Control, LLC.