The Key Difference Between Termites and Woodworms
Have you discovered small holes in the wood of your home? Are you hearing faint sounds of scratching and munching at night?
Don’t panic, but you probably have a termite or woodworm problem. Before it becomes a full-blown infestation, you’ll need to call in professional help. But before talking to the exterminator you might be wondering if it’s a woodworm or a termite making that noise. Are woodworms the same as termites?
Keep reading to find out the difference between termites and woodworms and the proper removal of both.
What Are Termites?
Termites can be identified by their appearance. They are a whitish color and have six legs, a well-defined head, antennae, and occasionally wings. All of these characteristics are missing on woodworms.
It can be difficult to realize that you have termites before it becomes a major problem, but there are warning indications. The signs of termites include the following:
- dropped termite wings
- mud tubes for traveling in the light
- small holes in wood covered with mud
- excrement near wood
Unlike woodworms, termites will also eat paper and cardboard. Are termites worse than woodworms? Termite damage is often more significant than woodworm damage, but whether you have a woodworm or termite, neither infestation should be ignored!
Getting Rid of Termites
A professional exterminator will suggest liquid chemical treatments, a baiting system, or fumigation depending on your home and the size of the infestation.
After treatment, you can avoid termites in the future with the following precautions:
- seal up insecurities in your homes’ exterior
- use less mulch around your home
- keep firewood away from your house
- keep wooden aspects of your home dry with regular plumbing upkeep
What Are Woodworms?
Woodworms are actually the larvae of the powder post beetle. Only the larvae stage eats wood, but even in that time, they can severely hurt the wood of your home. You can identify a woodworm by its arched body and marked rings, but you may never see them until the adult beetle emerges.
It’s even more difficult to recognize woodworms quickly since they spend the entirety of their larval stage inside the wood, eating away. These are the signs that you have a woodworm problem:
- piles of sawdust near wood structures
- holes in wood which are larger and clearer than termites’
Although these signs sound very similar to termites, keep in mind that you won’t find sawdust with termites and that termite holes end up covered up.
Getting Rid of a Woodworm Infestation
Call a professional to treat your home with inert gases to kill all the life stages of the woodworms. You don’t want to leave a powder post beetle alive to just keep going on laying eggs. A professional can use materials that are unavailable to the public and won’t leave a harmful residue behind.
It’s best to leave insect removal to the professionals because DIY treatments can be expensive, dangerous, and ultimately ineffective.
Knowing the Difference Between Termites and Woodworms
With proper identification and care, you can protect the structural integrity of your home. Keep in mind the warning signs of and the difference between termites and woodworms, and be sure to call a professional at the first sign of trouble.
If you want help identifying your wood-eating pest or you’re ready for an exterminator to get rid of your pest problem, contact us here. NJ Pest Control is a veteran-owned company serving the northern New Jersey counties of Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Union, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon and Somerset. Get in touch with us to see if we service your town.
Are you experiencing wildlife animal problems as well. No worries, we can take care of those nuisance animals as well.
