Typically, subterranean termites live underground in the soil and invade a house eating wood, cardboard, or drywall. They cannot be exposed to the light, so you may not see them for years until you notice a wrinkle or weak spot on a door jamb, window sill, or baseboard. They will eat the wood right up to the surface and, when they see the light, they will go in another direction. Sometimes, the wood surface will be paper thin, but you don't notice it because the termites will not break through the surface. They will also build earth tunnels on an exterior wall to travel into the house and stay out of the light. Once a year, usually in the Spring, they will mate, swarm, and fly away. But, this usually occurs outside the house. The flying swarm will relocate to another house, but the original group will remain and continue eating your house. The way to treat the house is to inject a poison into the soil all the way around the perimeter of your house so they cannot live in the soil. There are other types of termites, but the subterranean type are the most difficult to detect. Once they move into your house, as long as they have enough moisture, they will never leave until you kill them.
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