How Costly is Termite Damage?
The single greatest economic pest in the U.S., subterranean termites cause significant damage to more than 600,000 homes every year, costing homeowners more than $1.5 billion annually. Highly efficient social insects, termites live in large family groups called colonies that can number in the millions. A large colony of termites may forage for food over an area the size of a football field. Termites feed on the structural wood of homes and buildings, porches, decks, wooden sheds, free-standing utility or fence poles, and other timber structures. Termites can cause irreparable structural damage and even structural collapse. While they feed primarily on wood, termites will consume any cellulose-based product, including paper, books, documents, and photographs. They may infest living trees or shrubs, but are usually secondary invaders of plants already in decline. In their search for sustenance, termites have been known can cause serious damage to insulation, swimming pool liners, filtrat
