Is It Time To Think About Termite Control?

When it comes to pests, termites are one of the worst. Each year, billions of dollars are spent repairing damage created by these subterranean insects. They primarily feed on wood, which means that a single infestation can cause significant damage to your home. Spotting signs that termites are present means that it is time to think about termite control.

Signs Of Springtime Termite Swarms  

During the spring, large numbers of termites take off to begin colonies in a new location. Once the weather warms and the rains have begun, they fly until they drop to the ground. Shortly after their arrival in their new location, termites lose their wings and seek out a mate. Successful pairs tunnel into the ground to begin their new colony.

When homeowners see winged termites either in their home or on their surrounding property, this is a clear sign that a termite swarm has arrived. While the vacuum cleaner works perfectly well on the solitary winged termite, it isn’t enough to solve the larger problem of infestation. In order to determine if an infestation does, in fact, exist, the foundation walls, floor joists, supporting structures, and window sills should be examined.

Signs Of A Termite Infestation

During the early stages of an infestation, homeowners should look for winged insects around the foundation, windows, and doors. Once they lose their wings, they built mud tubes made of earth. With the thickness of a pencil, the tubes are easy to spot.

When the tubes are being utilized by the termites, small, white worker termites will be present within them. Even if you find a few tubes with no worker termites, you might still have a problem. Termites construct large sections for travel between the building and the ground. It is possible that the checked section might simply be abandoned at that point.

Common Signs Of Wood Damage Caused By Termites

If you haven’t started thinking about termite control at this point, finding damage to the wooden parts of your home is a sure sign that you need to act soon. Termites are borer insects. They bore tiny holes through plaster or other wall coverings to get to the wood behind it. In the process, small deposits of debris are pushed behind them and out of the hole.

Unfortunately, not all termite infestations are caught early because these insects are masters at hiding their presence. The only sure way to find out if your home is infested with them is to have a professional come to take a look. Keep in mind that even when the damage to a structure is severe, the home may look pristine from the outside.

Termite Control

Professional pest control workers must have more than just information about the termite life cycle. They must also understand how buildings are constructed in order to locate the best points of entry for these hungry pests. While do-it-yourself termite control is available, the best results are obtained with a specialist.

There are two main methods of termite control currently in use. The first method repels termites. The second method kills them.

Repelling termites works by creating a chemical barrier between the ground and the building structure which these insects cannot pass. Any termites located inside the building will die because they cannot get back to their nest. Termites in the ground are prevented from entering the building to feed.

Lethal chemicals are used to kill termites without repelling them. They are injected into zones where the termites must tunnel. Once they reach these zones, they die. While both methods are still in ue, the newer, lethal method is proving more effective as a single treatment method.