Termites

How to identify termites

Kansas termites are subterranean: they live in the soil and travel into wood through mud tubes. Workers are small, soft and cream-colored, and soldiers have larger orange-brown heads. In spring, dark winged swarmers can emerge indoors, often near windows and doors. They're easy to confuse with flying ants, but termite swarmers have straight antennae, a thick waist and wings of equal length.

Signs you may have a problem

• Pencil-width mud tubes on foundations, piers or basement walls
• Swarms of winged insects, or piles of discarded wings, in spring
• Wood that sounds hollow or crumbles, often packed with soil
• Bubbling paint or sagging trim near the floor

Why it matters

Termites work out of sight, and damage can go unnoticed for years. It's rarely covered by homeowner's insurance. Catching activity early and protecting the home with bait stations costs far less than repairing damaged framing.

Common in: Wichita, Derby, Andover, Newton, Haysville, El Dorado, Hutchinson, McPherson, Arkansas City, and across Central Kansas.