Termites

Termites can be found across the United States. If you’ve bought a home, you need to be ready to deal with these destructive pests because they can destroy your home. Termites are social pests that always work together. When they’re building colonies, searching for food, and raising babies, they’ll work as a team. Unfortunately, this makes them a difficult pest to deal with. It often requires help from a skilled professional to deal with an infestation of termites. Don’t waste your time using do-it-yourself methods because many of them are inefficient.

While you’re going to encounter other termites in your area, your primary concern should be Subterranean termites. They are incredibly destructive causing roughly $2 billion in damage to American structures every year. Call our office and we’ll rectify the problem for you in a hurry.

Understanding Termite Colonies

Termite colonies are unique because these pests live in colonies with a few specific members. For instance, the termite colony on your property will contain a king, a queen, many worker termites, and soldier termites. It’ll produce swarmer termites in spring so the colony can spread to other areas.

Queens

Queen termites are a vital component of any termite colony. With the queen, the colony would never make it. The colony needs the queen to ensure that it can produce enough worker termites and soldier termites to thrive. The queen will dedicate herself to mating and ensuring the colony continues growing. She’ll always mate with the king to produce more worker termites.

Kings

Each colony is going to have one king. The king and queen are intertwined because they’ll always work together to reproduce and make the colony larger. The king will spend every day of his life serving and reproducing with the queen.

Soldier Termites

Besides the king and queen, the termite colony on your property is going to have soldier termites as well. As you’ve likely already guessed, the soldier is vital for defending the colony. Soldiers are equipped to defend the colony because they have long heads and powerful jaws. The combination ensures they can defend the colony from ants and other invaders easily. In terms of appearance, they’re a lot like worker termites.

Worker Termites

The colony will have hundreds or thousands of worker termites. Worker termites are important to the colony and its future. It could be the most important member since it is going to handle many vital tasks. Worker termites are small, soft-bodied, and white. Besides foraging for food, they’re going to raise the colony’s young termites, build tunnels, groom other termites, and feed other termites.

Swarmers

Besides kings, queens, soldiers, and workers, the colony will also have swarmers. The swarmer is important because it helps the colony spread to new locations. It has wings and often reaches half an inch. A swarmer termite can fly to new areas before reproducing and building a new colony. These termites are male and female. Besides the king and queen, the swarmer is the only other termite that can reproduce.

Common Termites In Your City

In your city, you’re going to encounter a handful of termite species. Nevertheless, the most common is the Subterranean termite. An infestation is troubling because these pests are so destructive.

About

Subterranean termites share many characteristics with other termite species. For starters, the colony will feature soldier termites, swarmer termites, and worker termites. It also has kings and queens. The appearance of the termite varies depending on its role in the colony. Swarmers often reach a quarter of an inch while soldiers and workers are smaller.

Activities

Worker termites stay busy around the clock. Unfortunately, this means that they’re going to continue building tunnels and damaging your property every minute of the day. They will never stop destroying your property. They tend to live in underground colonies, but some live above ground in moist spots. Swarmers are produced in spring so the termites can begin building new colonies in new areas.

Worries

The biggest concern associated with Subterranean termites is the property damage they’re going to cause. The worker termite is responsible for the property damage because it builds tunnels and chews through the wood. As the colony gets larger, the risk for severe property damage increases significantly. It is essential to find a solution to the problem as quickly as possible.

Comparing Flying Termites To Flying Ants

It is wise to learn as much as you can about flying termites. Spotting flying termites means that you’re likely dealing with a large infestation. While they share many traits, there are numerous differences too. One of the most notable is the pest’s wings. A flying termite’s wings are going to be the same size. However, they’re weak and fragile. They can be broken easily. While the flying ant’s wings are different sizes, they’re durable. You’ll also find that flying ants look like crawling ants. They have pinched waists and elbowed antennas. Flying termites do not.

Interesting Termite Facts

• Termites have an endless appetite for cellulose. The workers will continue eating and feeding it to other termites around the clock.
• A termite colony can strive for many, many years. If you don’t do something about it, the colony will continue damaging your home for 50 to 70 years.
• On average, a termite colony in the United States can have as many as half a million termites.
• While destructive, termites can be helpful because they’ll break down and dispose of deadwood.
• One thing to know about Subterranean termites is that they need water. If they don’t have water, they will die.
• Termites often live above ground but need moist tunnels to do so.
• Ants are the most common predator of termites. They’ll attack colonies. Otherwise, they can attack worker termites when they’re foraging for food.
• With the right strategy and a good exterminator, getting rid of the colony is possible.
• While there are more than 2,000 termite species in the world, only 40 or so are found in the United States.
• Subterranean termites are common in the United States, but not in Alaska.
• Subterranean termites are responsible for more than 90% of the termite damage done to American structures.
• These pests do not chew through concrete, but they can move through its cracks effortlessly.
• Worker termites are the only ones capable of eating cellulose. Once they’ve done that, they’ll have to feed it to other members of the colony.
• A queen termite will spend 20 years breeding and reproducing.

Are Termites Dangerous?

Termites are not dangerous in the same sense as spiders, roaches, and rodents. Nevertheless, they pose numerous other risks. Since they damage structures, they could do so to the point that the home is no longer safe. You might have to move or pay a huge price to repair the damage. It is best to tackle the infestation before it worsens.

Ways To Dispose Of Termite Infestations

While you can experiment with other methods, the best solution is to work with a high-quality exterminator in your area. Ultimately, this is the best way to fix the problem. Professionals have been dealing with termite infestations for many years. Therefore, they have reliable solutions that can deliver consistent results. When you’re ready to begin, call our office. We’re eager to help so we’ll assemble and deploy our effective solution right away.

Doing It Alone

You could always try fixing the problem without a pro. However, doing so is likely not wise. The problem is that termites are hard to eliminate. Plus, some DIY methods are downright dangerous. Work with us so you can protect the people you love the most.

When?

Call us right away. We’ll schedule to call you back within 24 to 48 hours.

Safe Termite Solutions

Our company is eager to help. We aim to ensure that our clients are going to be protected during each phase of our treatment. We only use products that have been approved by the EPA because they’re safe and reliable. Call us to find out more about our safe products.

Preventing Invasions

Use the advice provided below to keep termites away from your dwelling.

• Make sure water doesn’t accumulate around your home’s foundation. Take care of overflowing gutters, leaky pipes, and problematic AC units.
• Take care of humidity problems. Check your attic, basement, and crawlspace because they’re common problem areas.
• Be careful when storing firewood. Keep it away from your home and lift it from the ground.
• Make sure rubber mulch is kept 15 inches from the foundation of your home. Otherwise, install rubber mulch.
• Check your dwelling for the signs of termites regularly. Check for cracking paint, hollow wood, and bubbling paint.
• Are you concerned that termites have invaded your property? Remember that we’re here to help. Call us and we’ll do our best to resolve the problem.

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