So the termite exterminator came by earlier today, and pulled up some more carpet but this time in my husband’s office.  We found that the trail did not lead to the crack near the tile in the living room, but instead went back the other way – snaked around the tack laden wood (for holding the carpet down) that follows the walls, back to the closet.

The closet which is full of boxes and stuff being stored.   Plus, rather than being cut in a separate piece from the main room, the carpet in the closet is attached to the rest of the carpet in the room.  So we couldn’t lift it up any further.  The guy said we’d need to reschedule because he wanted to be able to trace the path of the termites completely before he started drilling any holes.  So, next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, after he left, I set about purging the closet of all of the boxes.  It was full, from the floor to the rods for clothes, with just enough room for the door to open inward (walk in closet).  It’s probably about 25 square feet (5×5). That took probably about an hour.  Then I pulled up the edges of the carpet, and followed the trail, which was still keeping to the tacked wood along the walls.  And the trail let straight to the wall that adjoins the hall bathroom.

$@(@#$)(@*#$!!!!   I have no idea what this means yet, whether they’ll just drill along the wall inside the closet, or what.  Because immediately opposite that wall is the bathtub.  Sounds to me like their point of entry is probably along the plumbing, like if there was some sort of silicon seal between the pipes and the concrete, maybe it wore away.  Who knows. 

I sure as hell hope they don’t have to tear up walls or even gut our bathroom to get to those buggers.  Before he left, on a hunch I asked him to pull up the carpet on the wall opposite the shower head in our family room.  There was no evidence of any termites there, but that just means they decided to go west & north rather than south from the plumbing.  I suppose if they HAD to cut an opening in any walls, that wall would probably be the best place to do it, as it is nearest the pipes.  I just hope it does not come to that, especially since they do not do any repairs when they have to do that.