Mar 6, 2018 | Termite Control
Here in the south, nothing causes terror or fear more than the word, termite. Termites cause more than $5 million dollars in property damage throughout the United States. And what’s worse, most damage is not covered by homeowner’s insurances policies.
Before it gets out of control, look for signs of termites and consider getting a preventative termite treatment and termite warranty from an exterminating company.
Swarmers are your first sign that things may be awry, because while swarmers do not cause wood damage, they are a sign that a destructive colony is nearby. Look around doors and windowsills and for discarded wings. This is one of the first signs of a termite infestation.
If you notice mud tubes or tunnels along the foundation of your home, the next step would be to contact your pest control provider to schedule a termite inspection. Termites use the mud tubes to keep moisture when traveling to and from their colony and your home (their delicious food source).
Other signs of termites that you may notice:
- Bubbles in paint: this will often be a sign of moisture build which points to either termites or water damage
- Wood Damage: wood that is suspected to be infested by termites will normally sound hollow, as termite prefer to eat wood from the inside out
- Frass: the sign of a Drywood termite infestation is the appearance of wood colored droppings that litter the ground as they feast on your home
If you are able to get close enough to get a look, make sure that that you are dealing with a swarmer; flying ants are often mistaken for a flying termite.
If you do not find any of the signs of termites, now’s the time to get preventative termite protection! Sentricon Always Active, a termite baiting system, is the best protection to have for your home; it’s environmentally-responsible and comes with a lifetime termite warranty.
To schedule a free termite inspection, call (888) 466-7849 today!
Mar 2, 2018 | Pest Control, Termite Control
The change of season from winter to spring brings warm weather, sunshine, and … bugs! This is the time of year when many pests emerge from overwintering and begin the mating process. Spring is also known as swarm season – because this is the time when termites and flying ants emerge in droves, sometimes in swarms of thousands! While flying ants can cause problems in and around your home, termites are much more common – and much more costly! How can you tell if those swarming insects are terrible termites or flying ants? Check out our handy reference below for the key differences between the two, as well as what to do if you have these pests swarming in or near your home.
TERMITES
APPEARANCE:
- 4 wings of uniform size
- Straight antennae
- Wings are twice as long as their body
- Broad waist with uniform body width
TIMING:
Termites usually swarm once a year for reproduction and expansion of their colonies. Swarms mark the official beginning of termite season. Subterranean termites swarm in spring and during the daytime. Drywood termites swarm in late summer and early fall. Dampwood termites swarm in the summer.
BEHAVIOR:
Termites swarm after their colony reaches a certain size and the weather conditions are optimal. The termites are attracted to light and are often found near windows and light fixtures. Swarming termites will try to squeeze through racks and crevices in your walls and foundations to try and reach open air. If you see swarming termites then there is a good chance there is a well-established termite colony in or near your home.
FLYING ANTS:
APPEARANCE:
- Also have 4 wings, with larger front wings than back wings
- Elbowed antennae
- Shorter wings that are more proportionate to their bodies
- Segmented bodies with thin waists
TIMING:
Flying ants will swarm in late spring and early summer. They have to have bright sunlight, low winds, high humidity, and warm temperatures to swarm. They prefer to swarm after there has been 3 to 5 days of rain.
BEHAVIOR:
Flying ants swarm for the same reasons as termites – to reproduce and expand their colonies. Flying ants don’t represent any greater threat to humans than their wingless counterparts. Flying ants aren’t as significant a threat to your home as termites but they can still cause damage. If you have flying ant swarms in your home there is a good chance you have an established ant colony in your walls.
TREATMENT:
So now that you can identify exactly what kind of pest is swarming around your home, what should you do next?
- Contact a professional pest control company to come out and evaluate the swarm, as well as provide you with a treatment plan and prevention strategy.
- Don’t spray the swarms yourself with insecticide. Mark the areas where they are getting into your home and notify your pest control professional. Make sure to inspect the entire exterior of your home for possible entry points.
- Vacuum up any pests that get into your home. Both species are attracted to light so you may see them congregate around light fixtures or windows.
- Don’t tear away any woodwork, trim, baseboards, wall coverings, or floorboards. Instead, inspect them for termite damage by pressing your thumb against the wood and feeling for defects.
- Try to keep your windows and doors closed as much as possible during swarm season.
May 4, 2017 | Termite Control
Most of us know that termites‘ preferred food source is often the wood our homes are constructed of and that they cause billions of dollars in structural damage each year. But aside from being a costly nuisance, termites are actually interesting and beneficial insects – here’s why:
- Termites help keep our planet clean by eating/decomposing old, moldy, decaying, wet trees, wood, debris and other plant material. This process is vital to our eco-system and produces new soil which then grows new life – trees, plants, and provides food sources and homes to other animals and insects.
- Termites have been around for over 200 million years, making them one of the oldest insects, and live on almost every continent.
- Termites provide an excellent food source for bugs, lizards, birds, anteaters, other small animals, and even people in some parts of the world.
- Termites live in colonies that can consist of millions of termites. They’re organized, social insects that have very specific roles within their colonies and use pheromones to communicate with one another. Queens & kings reproduce and care for nymphs (babies), workers provide food, and soldiers protect the colony.
- Termites eat poop. Yes, it sounds gross but it’s actually totally necessary to prepare their digestive systems for eating wood and other plant material – a process called trophallaxis.
- Swarming termites – sometimes mistaken for flying ants – don’t actually cause structural damage. These winged termites (reproductive kings and queens) fly from the colony in search of mates to reproduce with.
- While termites may look similar to ants, they’re actually more closely related to cockroach species.
- Termites build mounds or nests where the colony resides – usually made of digested wood, soil, mud, and feces. Sometimes these nests are extremely large and intricate, with the one of the largest found being 42 feet tall!
- A female queen termite can live for up to 25 years and have millions of offspring in her lifetime!
- In some cultures, termites in a home represent a bad omen (death in the near future for the homeowner!). In this case, the only way it’s believed to escape death is to eliminate the termite colony or abandoning the infested home.
May 4, 2017 | Termite Control
Most of us know that termites‘ preferred food source is often the wood our homes are constructed of and that they cause billions of dollars in structural damage each year. But aside from being a costly nuisance, termites are actually interesting and beneficial insects – here’s why:
- Termites help keep our planet clean by eating/decomposing old, moldy, decaying, wet trees, wood, debris and other plant material. This process is vital to our eco-system and produces new soil which then grows new life – trees, plants, and provides food sources and homes to other animals and insects.
- Termites have been around for over 200 million years, making them one of the oldest insects, and live on almost every continent.
- Termites provide an excellent food source for bugs, lizards, birds, anteaters, other small animals, and even people in some parts of the world.
- Termites live in colonies that can consist of millions of termites. They’re organized, social insects that have very specific roles within their colonies and use pheromones to communicate with one another. Queens & kings reproduce and care for nymphs (babies), workers provide food, and soldiers protect the colony.
- Termites eat poop. Yes, it sounds gross but it’s actually totally necessary to prepare their digestive systems for eating wood and other plant material – a process called trophallaxis.
- Swarming termites – sometimes mistaken for flying ants – don’t actually cause structural damage. These winged termites (reproductive kings and queens) fly from the colony in search of mates to reproduce with.
- While termites may look similar to ants, they’re actually more closely related to cockroach species.
- Termites build mounds or nests where the colony resides – usually made of digested wood, soil, mud, and feces. Sometimes these nests are extremely large and intricate, with the one of the largest found being 42 feet tall!
- A female queen termite can live for up to 25 years and have millions of offspring in her lifetime!
- In some cultures, termites in a home represent a bad omen (death in the near future for the homeowner!). In this case, the only way it’s believed to escape death is to eliminate the termite colony or abandoning the infested home.
Mar 18, 2016 | Termite Control
The first official day of spring is Sunday, March 20th (the earliest arrival of spring of our lifetime so far in the Northern Hemisphere, according the the Old Farmer’s Almanac). This is also the first official day of termite season!
Termites cause billions of dollars in structural damage each year in the U.S. Don’t let your home be part of the statistic! Here are some things you can do to prevent termite damage:
- Keep any items made of wood away from your home: firewood, cross ties, construction projects – all are potential food sources for termites
- Another food source for termites: mulch; keep it away from your home’s perimeter
- Termites love moisture, so eliminate sources of moisture by keeping gutters clean
It’s also important to know what to look for. Identifying a termite infestation early is key in preventing damage to your home. Termites swarm in the spring and although swarming termites don’t cause damage, it’s a sign of a destructive termite colony nearby. Swarming termites are often mistaken for flying ants; they have two pairs of long narrow wings, equal in size and, unlike other termites in the colony, are dark or black in color. Warm or wet weather brings termite (subterranean) swarmers out of their nest, typically during daytime hours, to start new colonies. They’re attracted to light so you’ll most likely see swarming termites around windows, doors, and light fixtures, or the wings they sometimes leave behind.
If you notice termite swarmers in your home, it’s a good indication of an established termite colony nearby, that could be causing significant structural damage. If you have an active termite warranty, call your exterminator and request a termite inspection. If termite activity is found, you should be provided with termite treatment options and, depending on your warranty’s coverage, damage repair solutions.
If you don’t currently have termite protection, call a professional termite control company immediately. They will provide a thorough inspection of your home (usually free) and give you the best treatment options to eliminate the active termites and prevent a future termite infestation. Be sure your pest control provider offers multiple warranties with damage repair options. Some even offer lifetime damage repair warranties with termite baiting systems, like Sentricon Always Active, an eco-friendly alternative to termite control.
