Termites have been crawling around on the face of the Earth since the time of the dinosaurs, over 55 million years ago. That may make them the oldest, as well as the hungriest, house guests you’ll ever have the displeasure to encounter. Causing billions of dollars in property damage and pest control costs every year in the United States, they’re also some of the most expensive visitors in the world.

Without a good dose of orange oil termite treatment, these wood-eaters will chew through the very structure of your home—and your bank account.

A Fearsome Appetite

Of the 2,000 different species of which scientists know, the drywood variety is perhaps the most plentiful. They’re also one of the most ruinous. Indeed, subterranean and drywood termites together account for the vast majority of damage to homes in the United States. That’s because drywood termites have a particularly fearsome appetite. They’re not only capable of eating through the framework of your home and office; these hungry critters will also tear through your favorite books, your beloved wallpaper, your best clothes or upholstery (as long as it’s made from plant-based fabric), and even the plastic containers you store in your kitchen.

Big, Friendly and Destructive

Like their subterranean cousins, drywood termites are social insects that live in family units called colonies. Unlike subterranean termites, they don’t need much moisture to survive. Instead of bedding down in the wet soil, they make their homes inside the dry wood of dead trees or structural planks. They also tend to be larger than other termites (about 3/8 of an inch), although they generally gather in smaller groups of only a few thousand. Although they don’t build mud tunnels underground like their subterranean cousins, drywood termites do dig tunnels through wood, which can potentially weaken the support beams of your house.

A Southern Problem

These home-destroying pests live primarily in the southern United States, from the Atlantic all the way to the Pacific. They come in many different varieties, depending on where they are located. Some types of drywood termites include:

Western Drywood Termites
Southeastern Drywood Termites
Tropical Rough-Headed Drywood Termites

If you think you might be hosting a colony of drywood termites, call MightyMite Termite Services to get a quote for our orange oil treatment for termite control.