Termite Mud Tunnels
A subterranean mud tunnel, or mud tube, refers to small tunnels located around termite nests. To protect your New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or Maryland home or business from these termite-infested tunnels, you need to first learn how to spot them and then work with a pest management professional to get rid of them.
What Are Subterranean Mud Tunnels?
Mud tunnels are pencil-sized tunnels found near termite nests, wood structures, and concrete or stone foundations. It is created by termites and is made up of small pieces of soil and wood. Termites dry out quickly, so these tunnels help protect them from predators and the open air as they travel between their food source and their nest.
Not all mud tunnels are active, they are sometimes abandoned and left behind by termites. The termite exterminators at Viking Pest can help you test the tunnel for activity to see if it is still a health hazard. With regular inspection, identification, and treatment, we can stop termites from invading your home or business.
How to Identify Subterranean Mud Tunnels
Subterranean mud tunnels are ¼ -1 inch in diameter. They can be straight or winding and can be seen easily along exterior concrete walls or a home’s framing. If they are in more of an inaccessible place like the inside of a wall, a crawlspace, or a crack in the framing then you will need to call a termite pest control expert to help you.
Where Can I Find Subterranean Mud Tunnels
If your home or business has termites, you might find mud tunnels around the framing, near pipes, in the crawlspace or attic, or around other access points. When termites can’t gain access by eating through a material like concrete or metal, they dig tunnels around it.
What Problems Can Subterranean Mud Tunnels Cause for Home or Business Owners?
If there is an active subterranean mud tunnel in your home or business, it means you have a colony of termites. Termites cause significant structural damage over time. Though mud tunnels are not a problem alone, they allow termites to invade your property while helping them to stay alive and protected. It is wise to keep an eye out for mud tunnels as they are one of the first signs of a termite infestation.
How to Get Rid of Subterranean Mud Tunnels
If you find mud tunnels on your property, do not remove them yourself! The termite exterminators at Viking Pest explain, if you destroy an existing tunnel, the termites will go right ahead and create another. This new tunnel may not be in the same location as the old one which makes it harder to find. Removing the tunnel yourself may also cause the termites to go into hiding under the ground for some time which makes it harder for our pest control experts to get rid of them.
When Do Subterranean Mud Tunnels Appear?
They appear as subterranean termites begin their swarming ritual to start new colonies, which is usually when the weather gets warm and moist in the spring, explain the pest management professionals at Viking Pest. This activity tends to begin in March and early April throughout NJ, PA, DE, and MD.