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Termites can slowly eat away at your home’s building materials, eventually destroying its structural integrity. Though they aren’t known to carry harmful diseases, their presence can spread irritating substances, and dust from their nests can cause allergic reactions or respiratory problems. Here are three ways to know if a colony is lurking in your home and when you need to call for a termite inspection.

How to Know If You Have a Termite Infestation

1. Presence of Swarmers

Swarmers, or flying termites, are winged creatures that typically cluster near light sources at night. These are termites that leave the nest to find a mate. Once they do, they create a new colony. Since swarmers lose their wings after mating, these discarded appendages around your property can be an early sign of termites.

2. Papery Timber 

termite inspection West Plains, MOIf you find timber around your home that sounds hollow when you tap it or has a flimsy appearance, you need to schedule a termite inspection. Termites typically eat dry wood from the inside. After feasting on the timber, these insects leave a thin layer of wood underneath. If the wood looks particularly brittle, it’s probably being inhabited by termites.

3. Wood Tunnels

Often called galleries, these tunnels are hollow openings in wood or other materials that are signs that a colony has started establishing its nest on your property. The complexity of these wood tunnels may not be readily visible, but pest control professionals have methods and equipment that can pinpoint affected areas and eliminate colonies that have nested inside, around, or underneath your home.


If you need a reliable termite inspection, trust Jackson & Eagle Pest Management in West Plains, MO. Serving the Ozarks region for almost 60 years, their team of experts specializes in termite treatment, commercial pest control, and ant removal, as well as rodent, roach, flea, and spider control. Call (417) 256-6286 to request a free estimate. Visit their website for more information on their termite extermination services.

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