Ground Termite
Ground termites can create secondary nests above the ground called “aerial colonies”. These independent nests may survive independently of the ground if a water source is available. Common interior water sources include; roof leaks, plumbing leaks, leaky showers or tubs, toilet leaks, etc… Aerial infestations must be located for effective control.
Because of dehydration, ground termites die rather quickly when exposed to the environment due to their thin exoskeleton. To maintain the needed humidity and protect them from predators they build protective mud tubes and remain unseen most of the time.
These pests also produce a chemical odor called a pheromone, which other termites, in the colony follow to find food and water.
We spoke earlier about where ground termites live. They construct mud tubes to live in, and many of those tubes can be quite impressive. These tubes extend over foundation walls, support piers, sill plates, floor joists, etc. They can also stand alone. The mud tubes are typically about the diameter of a pencil, but sometimes can be thicker and much, much larger.
Termites construct these tubes for shelter as they travel between their underground colonies and the structure. To help determine if an infestation is active, the tubes may be broken open and checked for the presence of small, creamy-white worker termites.
If a tube happens to be vacant, it does not necessarily mean that the infestation is inactive; termites often abandon sections of tube while foraging elsewhere in the structure. But if you do find mud tubes, you probably have termites.
This is what a typical termite mud tube will look like around your home:
In some places of the world, termite mud tubes are quite large and amazing structures. Check out some of these gigantic mud tubes:
Cathedral Mounds in Australia
More cathedral mounds in Northern Africa
So, you know that if you have mud tubes present around your foundation or even on your walls, chances are very good that you have termites. But what else should you look for when trying to determine if you have termites?