As spring and summer roll around, homeowners’ thoughts turn to landscaping and beautifying the yard. Many homeowners like to mulch the landscaping plants for many reasons; it keeps down weeds, retains moisture, and looks good, among other things. However, mulch is not a completely innocent substance. Mulch is a wood product, and unfortunately, there are insects that can damage property that love to live in mulch.

The first is carpenter ants. One of their key attributes is that they chew up tons of wood into fine sawdust that rots, turns into compost that in woodsy areas is great for new growth. However, when the wood they have chewed up is the wooden floors, siding, or other parts of the house, they are no longer beneficial. They hollow out the wood of the dwelling in order to build nests. It may be years before the ants create a lot of damage to a dwelling, from doors and windows that stick to floors that slope, ceilings that sag, and walls that bulge, but the infestation may not be noticed until the damage is done.

Like carpenter ants, termites are beneficial when in the right places. In nature, they break down wood that adds nutrients to the soil. Unfortunately, when the termites are in your home they cause damage similar to that of carpenter ants; the termites eat the wood weakening structures and even chewing on furniture. The termites eat the wood leaving voids, and in severe cases can leave just a layer of paint or very thin wood remaining. A hollow sound when knocking on a wall can be a clear indication of termites.