If you see a tunnel looking structure somewhere around your home or property, it is best to get in touch with a pest control specialist so they can start a termite control and you can avoid having termite infestation in your home. These tunnel-like structures are called termite mud tubes and these mud tubes are tiny tunnels that can be found somewhere close to a nest of a termite.
When you see this kind of mud tube, it would be best to get a termite inspection as soon as possible so you can have an idea about the extent of damage the termites have already done to your home. Talking to a pest control professional would also give you more information about knowing how to find a termite mud tube and what you should do in case you find one.
What do termite mud tubes look like
If you are wondering how termite mud tubes look like, they are usually found in either stone or concrete foundations or wood structures and their appearance would be like those of a tunnel with a size of a pencil. These mud tubes are mostly located near a termite nest and they use the tube to travel between their food source and their home. Just like humans, termites build tunnels as well to use as a path for travel while giving them protection from unwanted elements such as a dry environment and predators.
A mud tube is usually used by subterranean termites and it is composed of tiny pieces of wood and soil.
What to look for in a termite mud tube?
When looking for termite mud tubes, there are three things that you must look out for and these are:
- drop tubes- which are paths from the wood and back to the soil.
- working tubes- these are paths between the nest of a termite in wood and soil.
- exploratory tube- is a path that extends exclusively from the soil.
Not all termite mud tubes are active though and if you must know, there is a way to check if the mud tubes in your home are still active or not. What you need to do to find out whether a termite mud tube is still active is to break a section in the middle of the tube but still leave the front and back parts intact. Come back and check again after a few days to see if the broken section has been repaired. Because only termites can restructure those mud tubes, when you see that it has been fixed, then it can only mean that it is still active.
As soon as you know that the tubes are still being used by the termites, let the professionals do the termite control right away to save your home from termite infestation. Specialists who deal with termites can tell you everything that you need to know about these pests including termites signs, termite activity, and what type of wood attracts them more. Having information can save you a lot of costs and you can also avoid the kind of wood that will lead them to your home.
It would also be helpful if you have an idea of termites species such as subterranean termites so you will know the kind of environment they would survive in and what type of wood they eat. This way you can do some preventive measures and save your home from getting damaged by termites.
These termites tubes are solely the ones termites leave behind as structural evidence, and termites can create mounds of these that can be as tall as 30 feet in subtropical and tropical conditions. If you have a lot of wood in your property, then it means that termites would have a lot of food source and a subterranean termite would simply have a feast. To make sure that you do not have miles of working tubes and drop tubes around your property, have inspection termites done by the professionals so they can also clean those tubes if they find some.
Having these pests around your house can cause a lot of stress and inconvenience that is why even before you start building a structure, make sure that you have some knowledge about things that can save you money in the future. Get to know these pests more by finding out what wood attracts them and what type of wood they do not like so you can get the right materials.
Also, know the different species so you can have an idea of what other factors to avoid and prevent having unwanted guests in your house later on. Find out how they build their tubes so you can do some preventive measures as well or might as well also learn how to clean or remove those tubes so you will know how to deal with them in case they build one in your yard.
Whether you already have those tubes in your house or not, calling the professionals to inspect your property for any signs of these pests would save you so much trouble. Let the specialists have a thorough check of your property to be sure that there are no tubes hiding in your house and that you are not already having some infestation from these pests. Making sure that there are no signs of tubes in your property would definitely give you peace of mind, but this does not mean that your house is already safe from these pests. By contacting the professionals, you would certainly have a guarantee that no pests are feasting in your house and you are sure that you are living in a healthy environment.
Contact us today to start having that confidence that your property is safe from these pests and that you have nothing to worry about in the years to come. Hiring a trusted professional is a must as well to make sure that the job is done the right and proper way.
