Termites on Wooden Furniture – How to Identify and Prevent Them

Termites on Wooden are the type of insect that mostly deals damage to your property and are not as dangerous to our health or that of our pets. Still, that does not mean they should be taken lightly. They can increase their numbers incredibly fast and if measures are not taken on time, the consequences will be severe. Especially for your beloved wooden furniture.

So if you have any doubts that you’re the victim of a termite infestation or you just want to be prepared, continue reading. In this article, we will tell you all about the most important termite infestation signs and the most effective measures against them.

Signs of termites on wooden and infestation in your house

Before you start any treatment, it’s good to make sure you’re actually dealing with this hungry pest. Things that can repel some insects, will actually attract others. So let’s see what termites look like, what are the early signs of termites on wooden in your home, and the most common damage that shows their presence in your home.

Termites – Physical characteristics

Even though there are many different species of termites, most of them have roughly the same characteristics. Their size varies between 3 and 10 mm, depending on their role. For example, worker termites are smaller, only reaching 4 mm in length, while the kings and queens can reach up to 10 mm. Their bodies are soft and elongated, and they are usually light brown in colour. The workers are usually lighter coming close to white, while the swarming groups are way darker and easier to spot. They have straight antennae and their 4 wings are all the same size.

These characteristics are actually quite important because this is how you can distinguish them from the flying ants, which look very similar but their antennae are bent, their wings are uneven and they have a pinched waist.

Swarms of winged termites

As we just mentioned, a lot of people mistakenly think that they have termites on wooden when they actually have flying ants and vice versa. However, now that you know the differences, you will be able to easily tell them apart and conclude the exact type of the insect. Another thing that is similar to both species is that they love to gather around light sources, which is good since that makes it a lot easier to spot them.

Termite droppings and wings

If you don’t see any actual signs of termites on wooden, the next best thing is to see the things they leave behind which are their winds and faeces. You might be wondering now how come they leave their wings behind? Well, termites actually use their wings only during their reproductive stage. Afterwards, they just drop them and venture off to look for places for nesting. You can usually find these piles of wings around the doors, window sills and in spider webs.

The other thing is their droppings which thankfully are quite easy to spot. They have the shape of a pellet and they are dark brown in colour. The bad news is that they can be anywhere- both in and outside your home.

Galleries and mud tubes

As much as we want this to be true, we are not talking about galleries filled with beautiful termite art installations and paintings. These are, in fact, the tunnels termites create while they are munching on your favourite wooden furniture. Seeing those tunnels in your tables, desks, chairs, etc. is a sure sign of a termite infestation.

Mud tubes, on the other hand, are created by termites from soil, random debris and wood. They use them as a connection route between the food source and the colony. It also preserves the moisture and creates the perfect environment for nesting. They can be found close to the foundations of your house.

Swollen floors and peeled paint

The galleries we talked about a bit earlier ruin the structure of your walls and floors, increasing the overall moisture since they are no longer properly insulated from the outside weather conditions. All of this results in the paint peeling off and the floors starting to appear swollen. However, this can also be a sign of leakage, so if you can only see these signs, first make sure you don’t have a plumbing problem, and then you can blame the termites for it.

Hollow wood

And finally, we get to the most serious and irreversible type of damage there is – the structural damage to the flooring, supports and wooden furniture. Visibly, you probably won’t notice anything, which is why we turn our attention to the inside of the timber. A simple tap test will show you if there is any termite presence or not. Damaged wood would sound hollow, dull and probably a bit of dust will come out. And if you really want to make sure, just try piercing it with a screwdriver. If your five-year-old toddler can do it, with virtually no upper-body strength, then the piece of furniture is most likely very damaged and you need to start treatment right away.

How to prevent termites in wooden furniture

Keep it dry

Don’t clean the wooden furniture with anything other than special detergents made for cleaning timber. Apply said detergent with a dry cloth and make sure to clean up any spillages as soon as they occur. Clean up regularly to make sure it’s maintained in good condition.

Polish frequently

You can add an extra layer of protection if you apply a special timber polish that will protect it from termites and will give it a nice, long-lasting shine. Make sure it’s done properly, hire a professional if needed. The money you will pay for this procedure will surely be a lot less than the amount you will have to spend if termites ruin your home.

Expose the wooden furniture in the sun

Termites are fans of moist, dark areas, so give them the exact opposite. Place the furniture in a sunny area and make sure they are not forgotten somewhere in a dark corner. Another thing you can do is just bring them outside in the heat and sunlight from time to time, to kill any potential pests inside. We recommend that you do this with second-hand furniture, as well, just to be on the safe side.

Regularly check for increased moisture

Crawl spaces, attics, and closets accumulate a lot of moisture, creating the perfect environment for termites to settle down and start invading. Clean up any piled up cardboard and if you have any forgotten wooden furniture in a place like this, remove it immediately. It will surely attract swarms of termites, and before you know it, they will be exploring the rest of your home.

Don’t put wood close to the foundations of your home

We are talking about wood debris, firewood, cardboard boxes, newspapers – anything remotely woody. All of these are tasty, 5-star cuisine for termites and the perfect possibility for a hidden entry into your property. Remove as much as you can, including stumps and dead roots.

Conclusion

Prevention is the best kind of protection there is, especially with insects such as termites, that can become a serious problem if not treated on time. Of course, you can do all of these things and still get termites somehow. When it comes to that, don’t hesitate to call a pest control professional who will efficiently and safely take care of the problem.

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