You know one thing about termites: They’re annoying, but here are some termite facts you’ve probably never even imagined.
Termite Facts
- For every one human on Earth there might be 1,000 pounds of termites.
- Termites often build hard mounds above ground. One mound in Africa was found and measured at 42 feet high.
- Some species of termites building freestanding mud tubes that allow them access to the wood they feed on. These can rang in height, but one was measured to be 12 feet long, ranging from the floor to ceiling of one house. The home’s air conditioning caused it to sway lightly in the breeze.
- There is a species of termite in Africa whose queen can grow to be five inches long.
- Termites work 24/7
- Scientists believe that termites appeared on the Earth more than 250 million years ago. That’s longer than dinosaurs – who existed no more than 230 million years ago. And humans have only been around for approximately four and a half million years.
- Formosan termites can damage up to a football field of wood
- A termite infested home can have three to four colonies surrounding it, with as many as one million termites in one colony – that’s a lot of termites.
- Subterranean termites have been found in every U.S. state except Alaska
- Worker termites will go as far as 250 feet from their colony to look for food.
- A colony of Formosan termites are able to eat 1,000 lbs of wood per year.
- Some termites are able to get through cracks as thick as a penny.
- Termites are actually not able to digest their own food – they rely on microscopic bacteria and protozoa that live in their guts to digest their food for them.
Dealing with an Infestation
The last thing you need to know about termites is that they can cause serious and expensive damage. If you see any warning signs or damage, you’ll need to contact a pest control specialist immediately.
Tempe Termites
Contact Info:
Termite Control Arizona
1753 E BROADWAY, STE #101
TEMPE, AZ 85282
(480) 630-3019
