Flying termites (the reproductive form of termites) in or around your home is one of the signs a termite colony is near. Flying termites originate in a nearby existing colony and are looking to breed and start a new termite colony. For example, there’s a termite colony in an old dead tree stump on or near your property. The flying termites originate there, and then enter your home looking to establish a new colony in your home. 

Locate Termite Colony – Make sure it’s termites and not carpenter ants.

First, make sure it’s not a flying ant (similar looking). Flying ants have 3 segments to their bodies while flying termites have only two segments.

Locate Termite Colony – Where the flying termites might appear in your home.

The first visible sign people often see is termite wings on a window sill or along a baseboard. What’s happening here? Flying termites drop their wings after mating.

Locate Termite Colony – Where flying termites go to lay their eggs.

Where do flying termites go after mating? They’re looking for a place to lay their eggs and start a new colony. Here’s were some detective work comes into play. If we’re talking about subterranean termites (the species most common the the Northeastern U.S.) the flying termites will drop their wings and then burrow into the mud to lay their eggs. Look for the tale tale mud tubes they create as they burrow into the ground, or move from the ground up into the wooden structure of your home.

Locate Termite Colony – Follow the mud tubes.

What are the most likely locations to discover the mud tubes? Look in a dark moist location (the crawl space under your home is a likely candidate). If there is a water leak dripping underneath your home, so much the better for the termites! Look in cracks in your home’s foundation. Look underneath your home’s siding. Check your basement.

Once you’ve located their mud tubes, you’re close to the termite colony.

Locate Termite Colony – What if you can’t find any mud tubes?

If you’re unable to locate any mud tubes, this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is no termite colony in or near your home. It’s best to schedule a professional termite inspection:

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Locate Termite Colony – Once you discover the mud tubes, what’s next?

The best methods to exterminate a termite colony are liquid termiticide sprays and baiting systems. Spray the termiticide around the foundation of your home. If you discover holes or cracks in the walls, spray there too. Spray where the mud tubes are located. Place termite bait in the soil around the foundation of your home spacing the bait in intervals of about one foot.

Locate Termite Colony – 4 primary dangers to avoid.

The first of 4 dangers is that the toxic termiticide and bait might come in contact with yourself, your children or your pets. 

The second danger is that you may think you’ve located and eliminated the termite colony, when in reality, you have not. What if there is more than one colony? What if there is a colony on or near your property waiting until next year to send it’s winged ambassadors back into your home?

The third danger is that, while you may have eliminated the termite colony, there is damage to your home that is in critical need of repair. For example, an important foundation support may have been compromised.

The fourth danger is that conditions remain in your home favorable to the establishment of another termite colony. There may be a hidden water leak that dampens your home’s foundation or the ground beneath your home.

Locate Termite Colony – Better safe than sorry.

Only a licensed professional termite exterminator can give you the peace of mind that all the termites have been safely located and exterminated, that there are no conditions in your home that favor termites and what damage needs to be repaired.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Consider what needs to happen to restore a home to health after a fire? Termites are like a silent fire, and even after they’ve been “put out”, your home will need attention. Though termite damage may not be as evident as fire damage, it can be as critical. 

Ideas, thanks to: http://killtermitesyourself.com/how-to-kill-flying-termites/

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Not all termites are the same, and not all are  commonly found in every part of the United States. Imagine you’re visiting your retired parents in Florida, or your grandchildren on the West Coast. Wouldn’t it be important to them if you were able to recognize the presence of termites and perhaps save them the high cost of dealing with termite damage?

This article will help you recognize the different types of termites and a little about their habits.

Termite Types – Where in the U.S.?

Subterranean Termites: These can be found just about anywhere in the U.S. Their name comes from the fact that the live underground, in dirt, and even create dirt tunnels in order to stay hidden as they move from the soil into the foundation, framework and siding of a home. If you live in the Northeastern U.S., this is the variety of termites you are most likely to encounter.

Dampwood Termites: These are primarily found along the Pacific Coast and in the Southwest and Florida. They mostly eat wood that is damp and rotting. As such wood exists more in the forest or an abandoned wood or brush pile, rather than a solid man-made structure, these termites are more of a nuisance than some of the other varieties.

Drywood Termites: These are found primarily in the Western, Southeast and South-Central U.S. They’re much more destructive to property than dampwood termites. Living in wood that has low moisture content, they are more likely to be transported in the wooden objects like furniture, and from there into the structure of a home or commercial building.

Formosan Subterranean Termites: Enjoying warmer climates, these have been discovered in Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and California. Nicknamed “super termites” these are the most aggressive termites and the soldiers will defend their nest by releasing a white toxic liquid. They have the ability to consume wood more rapidly than the other termite species. A type of subterranean termite, they’ll create a mud tube from the soil to the wooden structure they intend to consume. But they have the ability to create a “carton” or enclosed nest environment in a structure vs. having to return to the soil.  

Termite Types – How they look.

Subterranean Termites: Reproductive males and females can be winged (primary) or wingless (secondary or tertiary). Each can produce new offspring. The bodies of primary reproductives, also called swarmers or alates, vary by species from coal black to pale yellow-brown. Wings may be pale or smoky gray to brown and have few distinct veins. Swarmer termites are about 1/4 to 3/8 inch long. Secondary and tertiary reproductives in the colony are generally white to cream-colored and may have short wing buds.

Credits: https://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/b-6080.html

Dampwood Termites: The Pacific dampwood termite is the largest termite native to the U.S. Pacific dampwood termite kings, queens and alates can exceed 1 inch in length, including their wings. They are dark brown and have brown wings. Nymphs measure about 1/2 inch and are cream colored with spots on their abdomens. Soldiers measure about 3/4 inch and are cream colored with dark-colored heads that range from reddish-brown to black.

Credits: http://www.termites.com/types-of-termites/pacific-dampwood-termite/

Drywood Termites: The reproductives are winged (alates or swarmers) or wingless males and females that produce offspring. The primary reproductives, also called swarmers or alates, vary in body color from dark brown to light yellowish tan. Their wings may be almost clear to smoke gray, and have few distinct veins in them. Swarmer drywood termites are about 7/16 inch long, including the wings. Credits: http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/az1232/

Formosan Termites: Alates of formosan termite are yellowish-brown and 12 to 15 mm long (0.5 to 0.6 inch). There are numerous small hairs on the wings of these comparatively large swarmers. Soldiers have an orange-brown, oval-shaped head, curved mandibles and a whitish body.

Credits:  http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/termites/formosan_termite.htm

Termite Types – Their habitat.

Subterranean Termites: Moisture is important to subterranean termites, which have very little resistance to dehydration. To survive, they must maintain contact with the soil (their primary moisture source) or other above-ground moisture sources, such as in structures with defective plumbing or guttering. Termites foraging for food above ground protect themselves with shelter tubes, which are sometimes called mud tubes. The tubes may be thinly constructed or large and thick-walled to accommodate many termites moving vertically between the soil and the food source. This construction material also is found lining the galleries built in wood being attacked and aids in identifying termite-damaged wood. Shelter tubes often are used to bridge masonry or other objects, allowing termites access to a food source (wood) above ground. 

Credits: https://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/b-6080.html

Dampwood Termites: Dampwood termites can cause significant damage. They rarely infest sound wood. However, once a Pacific dampwood termite colony has infested wood with high moisture content, it can move into adjoining areas of dry wood. This Pacific termite does not require soil contact. However, wood-to-ground contact in a home’s construction often leads to dampwood infestations. Homes built over or near water, or with wood buried in the ground, are more likely to be infested.

Credits: http://www.termites.com/types-of-termites/pacific-dampwood-termite/

Drywood termites often establish nests in roof materials and wooden wall supports accessed under eaves. However, despite being capable of surviving on low wood moisture they are also found in wood associated with a water source such as a leaky pipe or water heater. Dead wood accumulating around buildings and homes often serves as a source of infestation.

Credits: http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/insects/az1232/

Formosan Subterranean Termites: A mature Formosan colony can consume as much as 13 ounces of wood a day (ca. 400 g) and severely damage a structure in as little as three months. Because of its population size and foraging range, the presence of a colony poses serious threats to nearby structures. Once established, Formosan subterranean termites have never been eradicated from an area.

Credits:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formosan_subterranean_termite

Termite Types – When found in your building, what to do?

View our other articles on termites to learn ways to prevent an infestation.

If you see termites or signs of termites in a home or commercial building, you’ve basically got a 5-alarm fire happening. Both in the case of a fire, and a termite infestation, if you do nothing, the building will eventually collapse. In the case of termites, you won’t see smoke or flames, and the damage will take longer to progress, but floors will begin to sag and eventually completely descintegrate beneath your feet!

If it was an actual fire, you wouldn’t hesitate to call the fire department. In this case, you have another call to make.

Termite Types – Who to call when any type of termite is discovered?

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

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The oldest, grandest homes in the country are located in the Northeastern U.S. We take great pride in our history. But our historic, long-standing homes are especially susceptible to a silent, hidden threat — subterranean termites. These pests are attracted to damp wood, and many older homes have leaky pipes and gutters. The water drips onto the wooden siding, framework and foundation creating an ideal habitat for subterranean termites. These pests have the ability to destroy a home’s foundation and literally bring the entire structure down.

“Termites cause over $5 billion in property damage each year, damage that’s generally not covered by insurance.” Credits: An NPMA Interview for Termite Awareness Week – Entomology Today

Termite Infestation Signs – Newer Homes Not Exempt.

Your home doesn’t need to be on the historic register to be in danger. Some beautiful older homes, just a decade or so old, may have leaky pipes and gutters. Many roofs have a 20 year life-span, and as the roof nears that time limit, leaks can occur creating water damage and potential termite habitat. Around the 20-year point for new homes, the plantings around the home have grown and matured, and may be in contact with the home, creating an entrance way for termites. Yard debris piles may be present, additional termite habitat.

Termite Infestation Signs – How do you know if termites are present?

Here are 8 warning signs that termites may be present:

1. Discarded Termite Wings: Termites annually swarm in their winged, reproductive form looking for mates, to breed with and establish a new colony. They soon discard their wings. Look on windowsills and doors especially. If you discover many discarded wings, the new colony is not far away.
2. Neighbors Reporting Termites: If you find that neighbors have a termite problem, your home may also be at risk.
3. Termite Colonies Nearby: As you remove any wood lying around your property including branches, old tree stumps and long-standing firewood piles, you may discover a termite colony. The fact that this colony is on your property puts your home at risk. 
4. Presence of Mud Tubes: This is a 5-alarm situation. You discover a mud tube rising from the ground and into the wooden foundation, framework or siding of your home. You most certainly have a termite infestation. Subterranean termites build these tubes in order to remain hidden as they travel up from the ground to the tasty wood that makes up your home.
5. Soft, Hollow-Sounding Wood: As you inspect your home, tap the wood. Does it feel soft? Sound hollow? There may be termites or termite damage beneath.
6. Darkened or Blistered Wood: Notice dark spots or blistering in the wood? Check it out more thoroughly for the presence of termites.
7. Bubbling or Cracked Paint: This may indicate you have water damage, need to repaint, or it may indicate you have termites.
8. Sawdust-Looking Feces Piles: These indicate a termite nest may be near.

Termite Infestation Signs – What to do if you discover termites.

If you discover or even suspect the presence of termites, you’ll need to take the following actions immediately in order to save your home:

1. Inspect your home thoroughly for the presence of the termite colony or colonies.
2. Inspect your property for the same.
3. Exterminate all termite colonies in your home and on your property.
4. Replace all damaged wood.
5. Locate and repair all water leaks in your roof, plumbing and foundation.

As we said, the presence of termites is equivalent to a 5-alarm fire. If you had a fire, you’d call the fire department. If you believe you have termites, call a licensed, professional termite exterminator who will rid your home of termites and guide you through the steps you need to take to restore your home and property to termite-resistant health.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

The post Termite Infestation Signs – How to know if you have termites. appeared first on Pest Control.

In recent years there’s been a lot of talk about the spread of the earth’s deserts. Areas that had at one time been lush and green are becoming barren wastelands–and this action seems to be accelerating worldwide.

Curiously, an insect feared by homeowners, the termite, may be part of a solution to desertification.

“New research published in the journal Science suggests that termite nests are crucial to stopping the spread of deserts. In the parched grasslands and savannas of Africa, South America, and Asia, termite mounds store nutrients and moisture, and — via internal tunnels — allow water to better penetrate the soil. As a result, vegetation flourishes on and near termite mounds in ecosystems that are otherwise highly vulnerable to desertification.

Image Credits: Termites May Help to Prevent Desertification – Entomology Today

“The vegetation on and around termite mounds persists longer and declines slower,” said corresponding author Corina Tarnita. “Because termites allow water to penetrate the soil better, the plants grow on or near the mounds as if there were more rain. Even when you get to such harsh conditions where vegetation disappears from the mounds, re-vegetation is still easier. As long as the mounds are there, the ecosystem has a better chance to recover.” Credits: Termites May Help to Prevent Desertification – Entomology Today

Termites Create Fertile Soil – There job is to break wood down so it can be used as fertilizer.

Termites are one of the few species have the ability to break down materials that contain cellulose, like dead trees. The microorganisms that live within their gut allow them to digest the wood.

Image Credits: Getting to Know Subterranean Termites » sugarlandexterminating

Termites Create Fertile Soil – But do you want that to happen to your home?

Leave them to their own devices, and termites will over time help your property to return to its original condition before your home was built! They’ll weaken the foundation and actually bring your home down. More homes are destroyed annually due to termite damage than to fires.

Termites Create Fertile Soil – What conditions attract them?

Termites are attracted especially to moist wood. For this reason, your first line of defense is to properly ventilate your home’s crawl spaces and wall voids.

Termites Create Fertile Soil – How to recognize the presence of termites.

One of the clearest warnings of a termite infestation is the little mud tunnel they create from the soil to the wooden structure of your home. The most common species of termite in the Northeast is the Subterranean Termite. This species prefers to remain hidden in moist soil or wood–thus the tunnels.

Termites Create Fertile Soil – What to do if you spot their tunnels under your home?

Don’t leave a termite problem unattended. While they might be valuable in the savannas of Africa, they’re literally converting your home back to nature!

Take action immediately.

Call ApolloX Pest Control.

(888) 499-7378 

The post Termites Create Fertile Soil, Promote Growth of Vegetation appeared first on Pest Control.

Each year termites cause billions of of dollars in damage to homes in the U.S., making them the most economically important wood destroying insects in the country.

By the time you actually see termites, they have likely already caused major damage to the structure of your home, so it’s important to discover their presence in your home before you actually happen to see a termite. Here’s some help:

Termites In Your Home? Follow the Moisture.

Termites thrive on moisture in the home. Homes stand a higher chance of termite infestation if there is wood paneling or support touching the ground on the exterior of the home, if there are cracks in the foundation or if there are woodpiles or stumps near the home, which are breeding grounds for termites. However, it’s possible to get a termite infestation even if these elements aren’t present.

Termites In Your Home? Follow the Smell.

Not only can termites do actual structural damage, but they can also cause odor due to their fecal pellets. These fecal pellets also cause discoloration and blisters on your walls, and you may have to replace them completely in order to get rid of the smell and the unsightly stains. Credits: The Trouble with Termites: How Termites Can Ruin Your Home

Termites In Your Home? Look for Mud Tubes.

You can easily identify Eastern subterranean termites by finding mud tubes. These species can survive only underground, as they need high moisture levels to thrive. They build mud tubes to maintain the requisite humidity levels. They use these tunnels to travel back and forth outside of the colony to gain access to wood and to forage for food. They construct the mud tunnel on anything that comes in direct contact with the ground. These tubes are usually between 1/4 to 1 inch wide, and are generally found in basements, the outside foundation of a home, or protruding from cracks between boards and beams.

Termites In Your Home? Look at the wood.

Other signs of a termite invasion include paint bubbles and small holes in wood. Also, when wood has been attached from the underneath, a hollow sound will emanate from the wood once you tap it with a blunt object or hammer. This indicates the presence of termites within the space they have created inside the structural wood. Credits: DIY Termite Control Options – How To Kill Termites Yourself

When termites are present they eat away at the wood rapidly, leaving it rough and hollow, and oftentimes leaving behind mud and dirt. Credits: 4 Easy tips to expel termite | Home Design, Decorating and Interior …

Termites In Your Home? Not If You Make Sure They Don’t Get There In the First Place.

We recommend these tips for controlling termites:

• Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home including entry points for utilities and pipes.
• Keep basements, attics and crawl spaces well ventilated and dry.
• Repair leaking faucets, water pipes and AC units.
• Repair fascia and soffits and rotted roof shingles. Some termites are drawn to deteriorating wood.
• Replace weather stripping and repair loose mortar around basement foundation and windows.
• Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and 5 inches off the ground.
• Routinely inspect the foundation of your home for signs of mud tubes (used by termites to reach a food source), cracked or bubbling paint and wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
• Direct water away from your house through properly functioning downspouts, gutters and splash blocks.
• Visit Pestworld.org to find a qualified pest professional for additional advice and treatment if necessary.
  

 Credits: What To Do If You Have Termites – Hulett Pest Control

The most effective way to rid your home of termites is to consult a pest control expert who can help identify the problem and the extent of the damage, rid your home of termites and lay down additional materials to protect against future infestations.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

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