It has happened. Termites are unnoticed by you and made themselves comfortable in the walls and foundations of your home. No pests are as sneaky as termites, even if you have regularly kept a check throughout your property.
Termites create a lot of damage to the property, which is a frustrating problem to deal with.
However, these sneaky pests have some interesting facts which you might be keen on knowing.
Let’s dive into the world of termites and learn about their dirty did you know facts:
- Termites do a lot of damage:
Termites are good survivors and reproduce quickly. Thus, they can cause damage up to 5 billion dollars each year to the homeowner’s properties. Yes, you heard it right, 5 billion dollars. It means termites are more dangerous and cause more damage than tornadoes and fire combined.
- Termites originated over 100 million years ago:
Well, this is not the bluff. It is called the truth. Termites have been living since the time of dinosaurs living over 100 million years ago. Termites share the common ancestor with cockroaches and mantis. Thus, it is the reason why termites are disgusting to people.
- Some termite species are blind:
Termites like to live underground and in dark places. They do not need the vision to sense you. Even if they can’t see you, they can still feel you if you are approaching them.
- Termites can’t handle sunlight:
These sneaky pests love to stay in darker places, and hence, they will die if they get exposed to the sunlight for a prolonged period. Due to this reason, termites can only explore the world at night. You won’t encounter the termites during the day. The coming fact will freak you out a little.
- Termites need to eat feces after birth:
Well, no reader would have expected this as a fact. When the termites are born, they do not have enough bacteria to survive. They practice the technique called trophallaxis, an act of eating each other feces. Trophallaxis is a big part of termites’ lifecycle.
- Termites are clean:
What, this is unbelievable. Termites are clean because they spend most of the time grooming each other. You must be thinking these pests are the dirtiest in the world because they live in the dirt. However, it is crucial to keep a check on parasites and harmful bacteria for their survival.
- Termites use chemical signals:
Termites use pheromones which is a chemical scent used to communicate between them. These pests leave trails of scents to guide the workers. Every nest has a different scent. Hence, they will know if they get threatened by the outsider.
- Termites send vibrations from the wall:
As soon as they feel they are in danger, termites will bash their heads with the walls to send vibrations, alerting everyone.
Wrapping up:
These were some of the did you know facts about the sneaky termites. Termites can cause a lot of damage if not treated properly.
Do call the professional pest control experts for termite removal as they are well trained and have good knowledge in dealing the termite infestation.
