Wood Destroying Insects

Wood destroying insects are the biggest threats to our homes. Termite colonies generally take around 3 to 5 years to reach maturity. Once they have established themselves they can do considerable damage in a short period of time. They is no way to know for sure how long it takes for wood destroying insects to damage a home. Depending on colony maturation and infestation locations, a colony of wood destroying insects can have a major affect on your home.

Wood destroying insects are actually a benefit to our environment. They break down old dead and dying wood to make a rich humus that provides rich nutrients to the soil. The problem is we are not trying to grow things under our home. We do not want the soil under our home to be rich in nutrients. We want our wood built homes to remain strong and the dirt under our foundation to remain stable.

There are a variety of insects that can cause damage to our home by destroying the wood. These insects include carpenter bees, carpenter ants, acrobat ants and of course the dreaded termite. There are actually a few varieties of termites that can invade your home. They include the Subterranean Termites that dwell in the soil, the drywood termites that invade our home through cracks or nail holes and eat the wood from the inside out and the Formosan Termite that most often is found in coastal environments.

If you are considering buying or selling a home, you will probably need a WDI (Wood Destroying Inspection) to determine if your home has been infected with any type of wood destroying insects. Let the experts at Barefoot Mosquito help. We have been doing termite work since 1987 and we can help. A WDI Report discloses the visually detected presence or absence of wood destroying insects and evidence of their existence in your home, buildings, or other structures. The WDI does not warrant the absence of wood destroying insects or the structural integrity of a building.

Damage inflicted by wood destroying insects is a long process. It may take months before you can actually detect an invasion of these insects and it’s likely they have been present for a long period of time. Don’t panic if you find evidence of termites, carpenter ants, or wood borers. Call the professional wood destroying insect exterminators at Barefoot Mosquito & Pest Control in San Antonio.