10 termite myths you may have heard

There’s no shortage of termite myths in the Valley of the Sun since termites are one of the most dreaded insects in this region. Sorting fact from fiction will give you a basis for knowing when to call Budget Brothers. Acting quickly is the fastest and easiest way to prevent the substantial damage these insects do.

1. Termites don’t invade block homes.

Anyone who tells you that a block home isn’t vulnerable to termites is perpetuating one of the oldest termite myths. These insects can enter through tiny exterior cracks. They’ll eat the wall and floor studs just as easily as they can in a wood-frame home. 

2. They are solitary creatures.

Like their distant cockroach cousins, if you’ve seen one, you’ve barely seen any. The subterranean termites that populate the Valley live in colonies whose numbers range from 60,000 to 1 million members. Drywood termites, another species living here, favor smaller groups that rarely exceed 4,800.

3. They leave no signs.

Don’t fall for the termite myths about being hard to spot. You’ll have to be alert, but subterranean termite signs are plentiful outdoors, while drywood termites are much more discreet. Mud tunnels about the width of a pencil indicate the presence of subterranean termites in the soil. You may see these tunnels on trees, cacti, home foundations, or exterior walls.

Other signs of a subterranean or drywood invasion include piles of wings that occur after a rain during the monsoon. Piles of frass inside your home are sure signs of a termite invasion.

4. Termites have no enemies.

If you’ve heard that having ants in your yard will keep the termites away, you haven’t heard a termite myth. It’s a fact. Ants are ferociously territorial and do not willingly coexist with termites. Ants usually win and the termites that survive move on.

While ants won’t necessarily eat the termites they sting, plenty of other animals, including humans, do. In some places around the world, they’re eaten as delicacies that pack a protein punch.

5. Termites are relatively rare.

The only places on the planet where you won’t find termites are at the North or South Pole. It’s simply too cold.

6. Termites help the planet.

It’s not a termite myth that these insects are clean and well organized, but that doesn’t mean they’re good for the planet. As termites digest wood, they produce more of their share of intestinal gas which they release as methane. This gas holds 84 times more heat than carbon dioxide. Besides saving your home, getting rid of termites will slow global warming.

7. They don’t eat much.

It doesn’t take a colony of subterranean termites long to chew through your home, considering their numbers and the fact that they don’t sleep.

8. They’re easy to get rid of.

Because they live inside walls, termites are among the hardest insects to vanquish. Finding them is challenging, and accessing them is even more so. Termite specialists like Budget Brothers have the know-how and access to the most effective treatments that require a license to use.

9. I don’t have much to worry about.

For each person on the planet, there are 1,000 pounds of termites. Because Phoenix is a hospitable environment for termites, the ratio of termites to people is probably much higher, since they need water (think golf courses, greenbelts, irrigated yards), mild temperatures, and plenty of food (like your home). 

10. Termites are useless.

Unlike flies and mosquitoes that don’t seem to have any other purpose than annoying people and spreading diseases, termites do benefit the ecosystem. They eat cellulose in the form of downed trees and dead vegetation, which helps provide valuable mulch to regenerate mountain, desert, and prairie soils.

If you find termites in the yard or at home, contact Budget Brothers today.