We've Got Termites

About half a year ago, my son ran into the kitchen to notify me that there are "some weird bugs" in his room. He's nine, and if he didn't know the name of the bugs he saw, I knew I was it was something out of the ordinary. My first response was "how many weird bugs are there," and "where exactly are they?" His reply was "I am not sure, but there are lots of them...they are behind my bookshelf and sort of white." I didn't know what to expect, and frankly, I was shaking in my pants due to my minor, but very real bug phobia.

We went into his room together and he pointed to his bookcase that he had moved from the wall. He had moved the bookcase because he had dropped some coins behind it and it's a good thing he did as we were about to uncover a serious pest problem. I looked closely and saw a pile of sawdust with tiny little white (almost clear) bugs. I knew right away they were termites. I was shocked, aggravated, worried, and grossed out! They were literally eating away at a pencil and the back of the cheap two-shelf bookcase. I swept them up and tossed them into the dumpster outside.

My husband and I checked around the house and didn't see any other termite damage and so we just ignored the situation. Yes, I know what you are thinking, how could we have walked away from termites - there are always more! And they are often in places (such as in the foundation of a house) where one can't see. We should have known better.

And so, here I am about 6 months later, and we have found more...lots and lots more. This time they are eating away at our bedroom closet and laundry room closet. There are mud tunnels on our walls and ceilings, and behind the closets. The termites are just eating and eating away at the wood as fast as they can.

Don't worry; we didn't just walk away this time. We finally contacted an exterminator who will be coming in a few weeks to rid our home of these pests. He is going to drill holes in our walls and floors and inject a poison. The idea is that the termites will bring the poison to the Queen and it will kill her off. Once she is killed off, there won't be any more termites. The exterminator told us that we are going to have to leave our house for 2 days.

The termites also made holes in many of our winter clothes which were stored in our closet for the summer. The holes are really small, but there are many. We had to throw away a bunch of shirts, and I am really upset about that. I never even knew that termites eat through clothing. I have learned that they will eat through clothing made from natural fibers, like cotton.

I'll keep you posted on the situation. I really hope that the extermination will put an end to our termite story. Do you have a termite story to share? Tell us how you rid your home of termites and if they ever came back.

Posted by Marcy Tate