Termites can take a short time to intrude your home and even before you know it, you may be dealing with a full-blown infestation. Despite their reputation as wood-eating pests, they can also destroy other items in your home. They’ve been shown to cause great damage to clothes but can termites spread through clothes? Here are a few factors to bear in mind.
Can Termites Spread Through Clothes?
So, can termites spread through clothes? Termites can spread through clothes, although it is very unlikely that they do.
Can Termites Travel in Clothes?
One of the most critical questions homeowners ask themselves about termites is how they spread. Many people assume that termites travel in the same way as ants do, especially because they look similar. Is it possible for them to crawl into your suitcase while you’re packing for a trip or find a way into your gym bag when you set it in the garage?
The truth, however, is that most of the serious damage caused by termites is linked to the subterranean species. They’re difficult to spot because they prefer to stay close to the soil where there’s moisture. Subterranean termites will typically hide underground or inside wood. These termites travel through mud tunnels, in cracks along walls, inside wood and through earth to wood contact.
Since subterranean termites spend most of their time underground, except when swarmers are scouting for a new site to nest, it’s highly unlikely that the termites will be on your clothing.
Can Termites Travel in Luggage?
If you spot a termite on your clothing or inside your home, the chances are that it’s a drywood termite. These types of termites are predominantly found above ground in dry wood, as their name implies. They love to nest in the roof siding and under roof shingles and the simplest way to spot them is by looking for tiny fecal pellets around their nests or physical wood damage.
Drywood termites can feed on clothing and other materials containing cellulose but it can be difficult to distinguish whether the damage is from termites or other insects.
The non-native Formosan subterranean termite is another common type of subterranean termites. These types spread quickly and can hitch a ride on wooden furniture.
When it comes to clothing, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll transport termites in your luggage, unless you pack a wooden item that has been infested. As such, you’re unlikely to spread them through clothes.
How Termites Get Into Your Home
Subterranean termites live underground and can enter your home through wood that has contact with the ground such as siding, door frames or decks. These termites may also gain access to your home by creating mud funnels through cracks in your foundation and various other causes. This is why it’s always important to keep a lookout for any repairs you need to do on your home and know how to keep the bugs outside.
Drywood termites will usually enter your home when swarms descend on cracked wood. They then build a nest and lay eggs to build a colony, which will then lead to a pest infestation.
Bottom Line
Can termites spread through clothes? The simple answer is that it’s highly unlikely. If you find termites in your clothes, then you likely have a much bigger problem to deal with. Knowing the signs of a termite infestation will help to prevent them from destroying your largest investment, home or apartment. You can try DIY remedies to get rid of these pests or reach out to a professional.
