They make a mess, destroy property, and weaken building support structures.
Some cause skin irritation because they bite, sting, or carry parasites that bite.
Others can generate mold and mildew creating allergic reactions.
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Learn to spot signs of an infestation and identify the wood-eating pest doing the damage.
Termite damage creates an odor of mold or mildew causing asthma and allergic reactions in humans.
Three types of termites are commonly found in homes and property in the United States.
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Carpenter Ant
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Carpenter antscause millions of dollars in damage to homes every year.
Carpenter ants leave behind wood shavings called frass, pushing it through small holes in wood structures.
If you see several carpenter ants actually flying around your home, you likely have an infestation.
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Flying ants are an indication the colony is preparing to expand.
Carpenter ants don’t sting but they can deliver a painful bite by injecting formic acid into the wound.
The bite, however, does not pose a health hazard.
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They look threatening but are mostly harmless to humans.
Only female bees have stingers and use them only when the nest is disturbed and threatened.
Carpenter bees look like bumblebeesbut without the yellow stripes.
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Their bodies have a fuzzy yellow covering near the head but the bottom is black or metallic and smooth.
The antennae are bent and the forewings are longer than the body.
Carpenter bees target unpainted, weathered, exterior softwoods on homes, buildings, decking, and furniture.
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Antique furniture is particularly vulnerable to this insect.
Beetles are brown to reddish and 1/8- to 3/4-inch long with two pairs of wings.
Powderpost beetles are attracted to light and may be spotted around windows during an infestation.
Insects are reddish-brown, 1/4-inch long with an elongated oval shape, and have segmented antennae.
They seldom fly but have wings marked by grooves.
The beetle is not hazardous to humans or pets but can carry a biting parasite that causes skin irritations.
Wood-eating insects can usually be eliminated throughfumigationor other professional treatments.
Most of the time, wet or moist wood will attract wood-eating pests.
Papini R. A.A case of stings in humans due to Sclerodermus sp.
in Italy.The journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases, vol.
