Many of us will discover termites during the warm summer months. When you’re doing essential repairs on your home and enjoying some gardening, you’re more likely to come across tell-tale signs of a termite nest. Admittedly, that’s when our Truly Nolen pest control experts get most of their call-outs too. There are many different termite species, but generally, they enjoy warm dry weather, and they get the moisture they need from the ground or the wood they reside in.

That being the case, come winter, they’ll be searching for warmth and shelter. Like many other pests, they’ll know that they can’t survive winter without a place to stay. And the best place for them might be inside your home. Let’s have a closer look at what a termite needs to survive, and why it might find all of that inside your home.

What Do Termites Do in Winter?

Contrary to popular belief, termites don’t die-off when the temperatures plummet. They’re still active during the winter months. In fact, they’re so active that the queen is still laying eggs. Their daily tasks may be less demanding and less time will be spent foraging, but their colony will still very much be an active one.

As the cold winter temperatures arrive, termites dig deeper into the ground in search of warmer soil. If they find a suitable area of warmth deep in the ground, they’ll develop their nest there and wait out the season. They’ll forage for food much closer to the nest and will generally spend less time outdoors than they do in summer. If they’re lucky, their nest could be located close to a heated building. The heat from that property will spread throughout the soil in the nearby area. Their fortune could, however, be a terrible misfortune for you.

Termites need a combination of three things to survive: warmth, water, and food. If they can’t find this by digging deeper into the ground, there’s a good chance they’ll turn to your home instead.

How Does This Impact Your Home?

Termites feed on wood. In particular, many species will eat rotten wood from a dead tree. Unfortunately, in winter that tree is probably too far away to feed on. The journey to and from that source of food will expose them to temperatures too cold for them to handle.

Termites also particularly enjoy the wood which makes up the foundations of your home, and since that’s indoors, it’s likely to provide them with the warmth they need too.

While this is a convenient solution for termites, it can be devastating for your home. Entire termite nests, thousands of termites strong, will begin to work their way inside your home in search of wood. Since they’ll probably also be searching for warmth, they’re likely to use the structure of your home for shelter during the colder winter months too. 

Termites will quite literally eat your home inside out. They cause extensive and expensive damage to homes throughout Canada and put your safety at risk too.

When is the Best Time to Call Us?

There’s no bad time to call Truly Nolen if you suspect you have a pest control problem on your property. Many termite infestations will reveal themselves during the warmer summer months, but there’s every chance you’ll find them in winter too. When you do it’s essential that you call our talented Truly Nolen team. We understand the behaviours and patterns of termites better than anybody else and guarantee we’ll remove them from your home with our unique treatments and solutions.

Call us today for a free quote. Every day you delay calling pest control experts, termites are causing more damage to your home.