Wood Destroying Insects and Organisms Facts   A typical homeowner's insurance policy does not cover destruction caused by wood destroying insects, even though they cause over 1 billion dollars in damage to homes throughout the United States each year. It’s important that homeowners understand the threat of wood destroying insects, and take the necessary steps to protect their homes. Subterranean termites are extremely destructive. First they build tunnels to wooden structures, and then they burrow into those structures to obtain food. Any wood or cellulose-containing material constitutes termite food, and given time to do so, they’ll eat until nothing is left but a shell. Termites avoid light and air, so they build their colonies where you’re not likely to stumble upon them. Carpenter ants burrow into the wood to make a sub colony. The ants prefer a warm and dry place. They will have a trail from the main colony to their sub colony, a main colony can be up to one eighth mile away from your home. On the off chance you do see them, remember that it’s easy to confuse termites with ants. Fortunately, there are features that distinguish them. The links below will take you to web sites with more information.   Ants: Have narrow waists Bent antennae Two sets of wings (one wing is longer than the other) Termites: Thick waists Straight antennae Two sets of wings (same size) Wood Destroying Insect Identification http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1814/eb1814.pdf Carpenter Ant Link http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb0818/eb0818.pdf http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/inse004/inse004.htm Moisture Ant Link http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1382/eb1382.pdf Termites Link http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb0787/eb0787.pdf Anobiid Beetles Link http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1577e/eb1577e.pdf