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What Do Termite Tracks Look Like?
What Do Termite Tracks Look Like?. Termites can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage and are also costly to eliminate, and they quickly lower the property value of a building because they can compromise structural integrity. To save yourself the headache of getting rid of a termite problem, be familiar with what termite tracks look...
Termites can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars in damage and are also costly to eliminate, and they quickly lower the property value of a building because they can compromise structural integrity. To save yourself the headache of getting rid of a termite problem, be familiar with what termite tracks look like and what signs indicate that termites are around your property.
Basic Track Pattern
The basic track pattern of a termite is random and usually looks like a vine or string dug out of the wood grain similar to a fossil imprint.
Alternate Track Pattern
In homes, termites sometimes adopt a shaving pattern that makes sections of the wood look like it has been roughly filed.
Wood Type
Termites tend to adopt the vine track pattern in soft woods because it is so easy for the termite to chew and meander through them.
Sawdust
If track signs are not readily visible because of the location of the termites within the wood, another way to diagnose a termite problem is to look for super fine wood remnants like sawdust.
Tubes
Termites build tube-like extensions in and out of their colony in addition to digging termite tracks--even if you can't see the termite tracks, these tubes are a sign of an infestation, as they are built to protect the termites from the sun, heat and dry air.
More Information
Entomologists have studied termites in depth in order to understand how to best prevent their spread. A good starting point for more information is the Ohio State fact sheet on termite control (see Resources).
