Many home owners assume that if they can’t see the tell tale evidence of termites in their home – namely pockmarked and damaged timber – that they are free from the pests.  Unfortunately, termites like to live and work in the hidden areas of a property, including the roof and under a house.  Finding out the many signs of termites can help you to stop a termite colony becoming a much bigger infestation.  Pest-Ex Pest Control Brisbane have studied over 9,000 cases of pest control related issues and have provided us with 5 of the most common signs that you may have a termite issue in your home.

1. Termite tunnels: termites can find many clever ways into your home, but they will generally leave evidence of their entry points through tunnels.  These brown, narrow and dry tunnels are made out of a combination of soil, termite saliva and faeces, and can be found near to the basement walls of your building.
2. Timber structures that are failing or buckling, and sound hollow when tapped on. Termites have been known to chew their way through the “heart” of a timber beam or joist, leaving only a thin layer of outer material to protect them from predators as they go about their work.    The fact that they can hide their actions so well is one of the reasons why termites can be so deadly to a building, as they can easily damage a property’s structural integrity without anyone noticing before its too late.
3. Another sign of termites is damage inflicted on wallpaper, skirting boards, and electrical cabling. If you’re finding things around your home that show signs of being chewed (and you are certain that it’s not a rodent such as a rat or a mouse), then chances are you have a termite population somewhere on your premises.
4. Flying termites: if you see flying termites “swarming” around your property, there’s a very good chance there is a nest nearby.  In warmer and more humid weather, winged termites will take to the skies to mate to start new nests, then fall back to the ground and shed their wings.  You might be able to spot piles of wings lying around your home if this is the case.
5. Termite mounds: one of the most visible signs of termites is a termite mound. These distinctive “volcanos” of clay mud are called termitariums, and generally house a population of queens, kings, workers and soldiers.  The mounds can be built into other structures in the environment such as rocks and trees.

Just remember that finding a few termites wandering around often means that they could have a nest of thousands (possibly even millions) of termites close by.  This is why it is recommended that if you do spot any signs of termites in and around your property, you call a professional termite control company to come and do a proper inspection.  They will be able to root out any infestations and provide long lasting prevention solutions such as barriers and baits to help stop them turning your property into their home in the future.