The Differences Between Dampwood and Drywood Termites

Dampwood and drywood termites will both destroy your home, if you let them. There are some important differences between the two types, however, that might affect the amount and type of damage done to your home, the best way of detecting an infestation, and the best removal methods.

Appearance

All termite species share a somewhat similar appearance, with a pale colored cylindrical body, and a darker head with large jaws. However, there are some small differences between dampwood and drywood termites that might aid in identification.

Dampwood reproductive termites range in size from half an inch to five eighths of an inch. The “soldier” termites may be as large as three quarters of an inch. The kings and queens are darker than soldiers, being brownish in color all over the body, while soldiers have pale cream bodies with darker brown heads.

Drywood termites tend to be somewhat smaller. The soldier termites are pale cream color with brown jaws and heads, and grow to around three eighths of an inch, while the reproductive termites grow to around half an inch in length, and are light to dark brown in color.

Life Cycle

Both dampwood and drywood termites form the swarming colonies that herald the beginning of the reproductive cycle for a new termite pair. The swarm also means that one or more new infestation colonies will be created.

However, the two species differ in terms of when they most “prefer” to swarm. The peak swarming months for drywood termites are January through May, while dampwood termites can swarm from late spring through to the fall months.

Another difference between the two is that drywood termites do not have “worker” termites in their colonies. Younger reproductive and soldier termites serve as workers until they reach maturity. This can be useful information for identification purposes, as each species (and each caste of termite within a species) differs somewhat in appearance.

Wood Moisture Content Requirements

Perhaps the most significant difference-in terms of the damage they do-between dampwood and drywood termites is their habitat. Both types nest in wood, but have different habitat preferences.

As their names suggest, each type of termite has habitat preferences based on their moisture content needs. Dampwood termites naturally gravitate to woods with higher moisture contents, while drywood termites prefer woods with lower moisture contents.

This difference is because drywood termites actually have the ability to live off water they themselves produce when digesting the cellulose they feed off. Dampwood termites do not have this metabolic capacity, so they must live in an area which provides them with an external water source.

This doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll inhabit different types of wood, however. What is does mean is that if you have a termite infestation, you’re more likely to have a problem with dampwood termites if the infestation is located in timber that’s in contact with excess moisture from a plumbing leak, poor ventilation or drainage, or other moisture sources such as clogged guttering.

All of this means that depending on where you live, you may be prone to infestation with a different species. Dampwood termites, for example, are most often found in humid coastal and subtropical regions of America, including California, Florida, South and North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

Treatment and Prevention

One of the most important differences in treatment for dampwood and drywood termites is that when treating for dampwood termites, you must also correct the source of the moisture in the wood that the colony inhabits.

If you live in an area that is naturally humid this may be something of a problem, but if the excess moisture is caused by a leaking pipe or other structural issue in your home, you will need to have that problem fixed to make sure that the termite issue doesn’t recur.

Another issue is that if you identify dampwood termites as the source of your problem, you have further options for reducing the likelihood of a reoccurrence of the infestation. You can, for example, improve ventilation and drainage in your home, to reduce the moisture content of wood and make the home less hospitable for dampwood termites.

Removing moisture sources can be particularly effective, and may mean that you can control and prevent dampwood infestations simply using these habitat modification methods. These kinds of measures are not possible if drywood termites are your problem, but treating your home will be effective in killing the colony and preventing infestations in the future.