Subterranean termites are by far the most destructive of all wood destroying insects.
Termites strike five times as many homes as fire and do more economic damage than all tornados, hurricanes, and wind storms, combined. Because termites eat, breed, and move in their sealed passages, they frequently leave the surface of the wood intact, so the first indication of their presence may not occur until the wood is so weakened internally that it breaks away. Subterranean termites must live in an atmosphere possessing constant temperature and favorable humidity. To achieve these conditions, they build airtight tunnels or passages from their nest to their feeding places. The tunnels are made by the workers from wood or soil particles cemented together with saliva and fecal material.