Photos and Information
Drywood Termite Damage
Termites feed on wood and serve an important function by converting dead trees into organic matter. Termites (sometimes called white ants) have microorganisms in their digestive system that help digest cellulose. Although termites are soft-bodied insects, their hard jaws bite off small fragments of wood. As the termites feed on the wood in buildings, they can cause serious structural damage.
Subterreanean Termite Worker
The workers are responsible for all of the labor in the colony. They care for the young, repair the nest, build foraging tunnels, locate food, feed and groom the other castes, and each other. The youngest termite workers perform the domestic tasks inside the colony like feeding, grooming and caring for the young, while the older, more expendable workers take on the hazardous jobs of foraging and nest building.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites colonies are small, usually under 1000 individuals. The workers are usually whitish, slow moving, and long bodied. In most genera, the soldiers look quite typical of most termite soldiers, but Cryptotermes is different. The soldiers have a small stub head (phragmotic head) and short mandibles, with which they use to block tunnels against intruders.
Drywood Termite Queen
The drywood termite queen is the bottom stripped termite. The darker colored termite in the upper part of the picture is the drywood termite king.
Dry-rot Damage
Dry rot refers to wood decay caused by certain species of fungi, also known as True Dry Rot, that digest parts of the wood which give the wood strength and stiffness. It was previously used to describe any decay of cured wood in ships and buildings by a fungus which resulted in a darkly colored deteriorated and cracked condition.
Fungus Treatment
Fungus Treatment:
Treat Fungus and Scrape
Roaches
Four roach species in particular inhabit homes in the United States, German cockroach: proliferate quickly and usually nest around the kitchen and bathroom. Brownbanded cockroach: thrive in hotter, drier regions and will nest in areas eye-level or higher inside Oriental cockroach: drawn to humid areas, sometimes referred to as water bugs. American cockroach: Also knows the "palmetto bug," they like hot, humid conditions.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny insects that rely on the blood of humans or animals to survive. As babies, they are tiny as pinheads. A full-grown adult that's been making a nightly meal of you can balloon to the size of Lincoln's head on the penny. These little parasites are nocturnal and hate light, so they wait until the dark to creep out for their meals, which is why it can take so long to discover you've been sharing your home with them.