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What Is A Termite Mud Tube?

What Is A Termite Mud Tube?

Termites are one of the most industrious insect groups out there. They were day and night with a singular goal in mind – to expand their colonies and increase their numbers. However, they are quite frail insects, with most members of a colony dying as soon as they come into contact with the air. For drywood and dampwood termites, which build their colonies inside wood this is not an issue, but subterranean termites build their colonies underground, and they have to travel above ground to find wood. This is when the mud tube comes in handy.

What is a mud tube?

A mud tube is exactly what it sounds like. It is a tube that is made mainly out of mud. Subterranean termites build these tubes in order to travel above ground and reach pieces of wood. The mud tubes are also pretty much 100% confirmation that you have a termite infestation in your home.

The different types of mud tubes

There are several different types of mud tubes that termites will build. The first is the scouting tube, which is shoddily built and temporary. The purpose of this tube is to discover whether there is a piece of wood in a location. After the termites are done exploring they will abandon this tube and the tube will collapse on its own shortly after.

The second type of tube is the transportation tube. These are the tubes that will connect the ground to a piece of wood and they are much wider than scouting tubes. Many workers will travel through this tube as they collect wood and bring it back to the colony.

Then there is the vertical tube, which resembles a stalactite. This tube will connect two horizontal surfaces that have no structural support between them. So imagine the top and bottom of a crawl space.

Finally, there is the termite castle, which is a large, circular structure that can reach up to a few feet in diameter. Out of this structure, swarmers will fly out during reproductive season.

What to do if you spot a mud tube

If you spot a mud tube on or inside your home, you should leave it intact and call over a pest control pro, who will perform an inspection and then remove the infestation if it is present.For more information on how to spot termite infestations and how they are controlled, contact us today.