It’s Spring at last! North-easterners are emerging from their homes to enjoy the outdoors. The first place we all notice is our yard and garden. Which plants made it through the Winter? We begin to clean up the Winter damage and design our garden.

Guess who else is emerging this Spring? Carpenter ants and termites. The way you clean-up and re-plant your landscape this Spring will make a great difference whether or not these pests find a way into your home.

What is pest-free landscaping? We’re not talking about a landscape that is free of insects. In this article, we use the term “pest-free landscaping” to refer to landscaping that doesn’t encourage pests to enter into your home.

Pest Free Landscaping – Soil and Mulch

One common Spring gardening activity is the re-application of a fresh layer of mulch and bark dust. Mulch and bark dust help keep the soil from drying out during the hot Summer and therefore promote healthy plant growth. But this moisture quality in mulch becomes a great environment for termites and carpenter ants. When the mulch layers pile up over the years until they are in contact with the wooden siding on your home, this becomes a major highway for carpenter ants and termites to enter into your home.

It’s best to keep mulch at least 4″ below the place where your home’s concrete foundation ends and the wooden structure begins. In addition, don’t let the mulch layer thicken beyond 3″. Excessive mulch can harm plants while becoming a super hotel for carpenter ants and termites.

Pest Free Landscaping – Raised Gardens

Do you have a raised garden against the side of your home? If so, you’ll be watering it throughout the Summer, keeping the soil moist so the plants can grow. However, this moist soil right against your house can harbor carpenter ants and termites. They also love the wet wooden sides of the planter. It’s pretty easy for them to tunnel right through the planter and into your home! Make sure there is an insect-proof lining between the planter and your home. Concrete or metal is a good choice.

Pest Free Landscaping – Trees and Large Plants

One great highway pests use to enter your home is trees and large plants that are in direct contact with the house. Eliminating this natural insect highway will go a long way toward preventing a carpenter ant or termite infestation. Inspect the area around your house for any tree branches that are in direct contact with the structure or overhanging the roof. Trim them back. Do you have vines growing up the siding? As attractive as they look, you might want to eliminate them.

Pest Free Landscaping – Thick Ground-cover

That dense ivy growing right up to the walls of your home keeps the soil moist, which in turn encourages carpenter ants and termites. Cut it back a few feet from your home so the soil immediately around your home can dry out, providing a natural barrier against these pests.

Pest Free Landscaping – How well did you do?

If you see any of the following signs, you might revisit your pest-free landscaping strategy.

Carpenter Ant warning signs:

• Swarmers (Winged ants)-This is a sign that the colony is looking to expand and look for a new nesting site
• Sawdust (fine wood shavings that the Carpenter Ants push aside to create nesting sites, known as “frass”)
• Crunching noises behind the wall
• Seeing more than 10 ants a day throughout your house, or seeing any ants inside your house in the winter months

Termite warning signs:

• Mud tunnels or mud tubes. These are typically found on the sides of foundations
• Swarmers (Winged Termites)-This is a sign that the nest is near
• Damaged wood-The wood will appear to be crushed, or you will see tunnels. Galleries will be filled with soil and chewed wood, while ant tunnels are very clean

Call ApolloX Pest Control

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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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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

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Termites, unlike carpenter ants, consume wood. Actually, they have a symbiotic relation with a fungus that breaks the wood down into a form that the termites can consume. At any rate, the wood that makes up your home’s foundation and framework is their food, and termites, left unattended, can literally “bring the house down”.

Prevent Termites – When?

Termites emerge in the spring, in their winged form, seeking a mate. Once they mate, the queen will establish a colony which then begins to destroy all wood within reach. Actually, damp wood is most susceptible since the fungus that feeds the termites thrives in damp conditions.

Stop termites in the spring before they have an opportunity to create a colony.

Prevent Termites – How?

It’s far easier to prevent a termite colony from getting established in your home or business, then to exterminate an existing colony.

Here are our top 10 strategies for preventing termites.

Prevent Termites – Keep Things Dry

1. Paint all bare wood on the exterior of your home. Bare or damaged wood attracts termites. It soaks up moisture which makes it even more susceptible to termite invasion.
2. Keep all wood dry. Examine the wood on both the exterior and interior of your home. Look for water leaks from damaged gutters or pipes, or from the discharge of air conditioning units and refrigerators. Thoroughly vent all wall voids. Vent the attic. Inspect the crawl space of your home. Follow the path of pipes. Fix any leaks and dry, repair or replace wet wood. Basically, keep all wood dry and in good repair.
3. Water your lawn, not your house. Check your sprinkler system for areas that spray water on the house. Train all water sources away from your house.
4. Clean away all yard debris (branches, leaves). These tend to collect water and create conditions favorable to termites.

Prevent Termites – Maintain a Good Barrier

1. Keep plants from direct contact with your house. Trim them back. Any direct contact can become a thoroughfare for the entrance of termites and other pests.
2. Don’t let soil come into direct contact with wood…anywhere on your property! Soil in contact with wood directly invites termites. Raise your wood pile off the ground. Remove soil away from your siding, from fences and fence posts. 18 inches is a good standard distance to maintain between soil and wood.
3. Raise your firewood pile 18 inches off the ground. And don’t store firewood indoors. Only bring firewood into your home on the day you will be burning it in the fireplace.

Prevent Termites – Additional Precautions

1. Remove dead tree stumps and their roots. These also constitute wood in contact with soil, and create an ideal condition for termites to establish a thriving colony near your home, which is then on the ready to find an entrance into your home.  
2. Seal any potential termite entry points. Inspect around your home for cracks in the concrete foundation. Seal them. Calk any openings around your window and door frames.

Prevent Termites – Get Skilled Help

• Hire a licensed, professional termite exterminator to give your home an annual termite inspection. Better to be safe than sorry, as termites left untreated in the home are about the same as setting a fire in your home and leaving it to freely burn! Same result!

Call ApolloX Pest Control

We’re Licensed Professional Termite Exterminators

(888) 499-7378

See Also:

Termites

Termite Prevention Tips

Termites Create Fertile Soil

Carpenter Ant or Termite

Termites In Your Home?

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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 

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The older your home, the more carpenter ants and termites love it. Why? Because an older home is more likely to have a leaky roof, leaky gutters or drippy old plumbing. Why do these insects love water leaks? Because when leaks drip onto wood, especially over long periods of time, the wood softens and rots. This makes the wood more available for these insects either for burrowing or for a food source.

Carpenter Ant or Termite: What do they eat?

The preferred food is our first clue as to whether it’s a carpenter ant or a termite. Termites eat wood and therefore cause major destruction to the structure of homes. On the other hand, carpenter ants do not eat wood. They merely burrow into wood to create a home. Carpenter ants eat just about any food that you eat: Sweet food, greasy food, meat, grain. If it’s available to carpenter ants (sitting around the house in an unsealed container), they’ll go for it.

Now this presents another clue as to the difference between a carpenter ant and a termite. You’ll more likely see the carpenter ant going for your food. On the other hand, termites will be hidden away eating the foundation and structure of your home!

Carpenter Ant or Termite: What do they look like?

Carpenter ants have angled antennae. Their bodies are divided into three sections with a thin waist. Finally, they are dark brown or black. The reproductive version of carpenter ant–the one with wings, has uneven wings.

Image Credits: Ants, Ants and More Ants – Epcon Lane

On the other hand, termites have straight antennae. Their bodies are divided into only two sections: The lower section looks a bit like a grain of rice. They have no narrow waist. Termites are a white/tan color. The reproductive version of termite–the one with wings, is lighter brown (vs. brown/black carpenter ant), and their wings are equal in length. 

Image Credits: Ants, Ants and More Ants – Epcon Lane
Image Credits: What is the Difference Between Termites and Carpenter Ants?

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Carpenter Ant or Termite: The damage they cause to wood looks different.

The third great distinction between a carpenter ant and a termite is how wood looks after they’ve attacked it. Carpenter ants create smooth burrows or channels in wood. As they excavate, they push the sawdust out of the wood channels (remember they don’t eat wood), and the fine sawdust forms small piles called “frass”.

On the other hand, termites simply eat the wood until it falls apart! Subterranea n termites don’t like to be exposed, so they create mud tunnels from the earth to the wood they want to eat. These mud tunnels are another sign your home is infested with termites rather than carpenter ants.

Carpenter Ant or Termite: Both Are Hard to Exterminate

Carpenter ants are very mobile. Unlike termites they don’t care if they’re exposed. They will travel (mostly at night) up to 100 feet from their nest, and even create satellite nests. You could have a dozen or more carpenter ant satellite nests on your property or in your home. Unless you manage to locate and destroy them all, you’ll never rid your home of carpenter ants.

Termites, as we said, are more likely to be hidden in places you don’t normally visit–for example in the foundation under your home, in the wood beneath the home’s siding, and in those mud tunnels they create which mostly exist where you will not likely see them.

Carpenter Ant or Termite: Both can do massive damage to your home. 

Of course, since termites eat your home, their damage is greater. In fact, more homes are destroyed each year due to termite damage than to fire. However, carpenter ants are also damaging your home. Therefore, it’s vital that you exterminate both carpenter ants and termites in or near your home. 

Consider the value of your home. Do you really want to trust this to a DIY job? Save a few bucks and lose your home, or destroy its resale value?

Carpenter Ant or Termite: Call a professional exterminator to ensure your home is protected.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

P.S. Since both carpenter ants (who are active mostly at night) and termites (who love to remain hidded) can be in your home without you knowing, it’s a good policy to have your home inspected, especially if you have not had a professional pest inspection in the past few years. 

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Termites in Northeastern Firewood Piles: Different Answer 

It appears the answer to this question is different depending on which area of the country you live.

We came across this article and thought it worth sharing to people who live in the Northeastern U.S.

Credits: http://www.colonialpest.com/termites-in-firewood/  

Fire wood being stored inside is common in New England, as retrieving it from under snow and during inclement weather is a hassle.  While firewood may contain certain insects, termites should not be an issue. 

Termites In Northeastern Firewood Piles: Will likely die if brought into the house.

Termite colonies live in the soil and feed on wood that they find within their foraging territory.  If termites were feeding on the firewood outside, it may be possible to bring some of the workers in with the wood(workers find food, build tunnels, and feed the colony).  Workers feeding inside firewood will eventually die without contact with the colony, as well as from desiccation due to lack of moisture. 

Termites in Northeastern Firewood Piles: If still connected to their colony will live and thrive.

Firewood may serve as food for termites if they find it within the house.   If foraging termites locate wood near a joint or crack in the foundation they will feed on it. 

Termites in Northeastern Firewood Piles: Not as big a problem as spiders, carpenter ants and powder post beetles.

Fire wood may harbor spiders, beetles, centipedes, wood roaches, pseudo scorpions, certain wasp species, and carpenter ants.    Spiders and carpenter ants would be the biggest concern, followed by powder post beetles.

Carpenter Ant Colonies May Remain Intact

Carpenter ant colonies may reside within wood stored outside, and may be transported inside.  If the colony was in hibernation, they will “wake up” in the warm basement and may move into the house.

Spiders May Become Active In the House

Spiders hiding in firewood will also become active and search for food. 

Powder Post Beetles Can Emerge and Cause Structural Damage

Many species of beetles, including powder post beetles, live in wood.  Some beetle species prefer living trees, others prefer aged wood.  Depending on the type of wood and moisture content, beetles located within the firewood may continue to develop and emerge within the home.  In most cases a beetle hatch from firewood is a one time event, although large  numbers may emerge.  Beetles will die quickly once emerging, and will not usually infest a home.  Powder post beetles may infest wood in damp basements and do cause structural damage if not controlled.  Severe damage takes years to occur.

Termites In Northeastern Firewood Piles: Inspect the Wood Before Bringing it Into Your Home

Inspect the wood as it goes in.  Look for obvious signs of insect activity such as live ants, conspicuous holes, sawdust or powder falling from holes in the wood.  Banging it on something may dislodge spiders and insects hiding on the wood or in the bark.  If something looks suspicious burn or discard it.  Termites feeding on the wood may also be visible, usually in wood that was stored directly on the ground. Termites are relatively small, whitish insects, and are always associated with soil or mud used to created tunnels and hold moisture.  Termites will die eventually without moisture and contact with their colony.

Termites in Northeastern Firewood Piles: Guidelines for  stacking the wood.

As the wood is stacked inside, be sure to keep it up off the floor.  This will  discourage foraging termites from locating the wood inside the house.   Termites would need to build visible mud tubes from a crack or joint to the wood.  Make an effort to bring in only enough wood for the winter.   Wood piles that sit for years aging inside should be discouraged.  Once the wood is stacked, inspect it periodically for signs of insects, such as sawdust piles, small piles of powder, and live or dead insects in the area.  Wood that is suspect may be burned or discarded outside. 

Termites in Northeastern Firewood Piles: Pesticides are potentially dangerous.

Treating firewood with pesticides is not necessary, and should never be done due to the risk of contacting toxic compounds in the smoke.  The area around the wood stack may be treated to minimize insect or spider activity coming from the wood.  

Credits: http://www.colonialpest.com/termites-in-firewood/  

Do you think you have a pest control issue related to firewood?

Contact the professionals at ApolloX Pest Control.

We’ll make a positive identification of the suspect pest, and give you specific recommendations for control measures.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378 

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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

The post Termites In Your Home? How Do You Know? appeared first on Pest Control.

This problem becomes larger the warmer your climate. In the Northeastern U.S. you won’t find termites entering a home through the firewood pile, but other dangerous pests may gain an entrance. If you live in the Northeastern U.S., see our article: “Termites In Northeastern Firewood Piles.”

Termites in Your Firewood Pile: Just the beginning…

Pests like termites, stink bugs, and Boxelder bugs can take up residence in wood piles during the winter. From there they can migrate into your home, where they can cause even more annoyances or, in the case of termites, severe structural damage over time. Strictly speaking, termites aren’t actually any more active in winter than they are in summer, but using firewood brings an added risk to your home.

Termites in Your Firewood Pile: A Homeowner’s Experience

We heard the story of a home owner who created a huge stack of firewood in his garage–enough to heat his home through the winter. Weeks later he noticed a little motion in the pile, examined it more closely and discovered chunks of wood infested with termites. He had no idea the extent of the infestation, and needed to have his entire home treated. The treatment was better than the consequences of ignoring the problem. Termites have been known to bring an entire structure down!

Termites in Your Firewood Pile: What to do?

Have you noticed bugs in your firewood pile? Don’t let the problem go. The presence of any bugs can indicate the possible presence of termites.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Termites In Your Firewood Pile: Don’t let them get there in the first place.

To keep termites, stink bugs, and other bugs out of your firewood, be sure to store it off the ground and away from the house. Placing your pile of firewood on a raised, plastic platform will prevent most bugs from entering the wood in the first place. If you keep your firewood outside all year long, storing it under sheets of plastic can help kill any bugs by raising the temperature underneath and overheating the insects.

When it does come time to bring firewood inside, be sure to inspect it carefully. While other, non-termite insects can burrow and leave tunnels, they’re a good indicator of whether or not any bugs have infested your wood.

Credits: How to Manage Your Winter Pest Problem – Lifehacker

Preventing Termites In Your Firewood Pile: Easier than removing them.

Know that preventing an infestation is much easier than removing one!

Credits: How to Manage Your Winter Pest Problem – Lifehacker

Remember, if you see insects in your firewood pile, and your firewood pile is stacked against your home–or inside your garage:

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

Don’t risk a termite infestation!

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Regular treatment of building foundations remains important during this season, to keep warmth-seeking, crawling pests from gaining access. If you’ve ever had a mid-winter ant invasion in your home, you know what we’re talking about. Carpenter and other ants can and do invade buildings in winter and when they do they tend to take up residence inside wall voids, making control slower and more difficult. It’s much better to keep them out in the first place.

Ants don’t die at the end of the fall – they hibernate in their nests all winter long until spring. Many ants die over the winter, but most will live to help the colony get back on its feet.

Mid-Winter Pest Control Treatments: Termites

Mid-Winter pest control treatments are important for termite control. Termites also remain active during this time, continuing to move about, feeding on any wood they find, including our homes. Efforts to keep them in check should continue the year around. Credits: Pest Control in Winter? | Pest Control Center Inc

Mid-Winter Pest Control Treatments: Wet Weather

Each winter some customers express concern regarding treatments during wet weather. During this time of the year most treatments are performed in the areas around the foundations of buildings. Around buildings with eaves and overhangs these areas tend to be sheltered, don’t usually receive large amounts of moisture and are usually ok for treatment during light rain. However, should there be no eaves or overhangs or heavier rain becomes a concern, the treatment can be rescheduled for a different day. Once pest control materials have been applied and have had a chance to dry in place, subsequent precipitation will not usually affect the treatment. Credits: Pest Control in Winter? | Pest Control Center Inc

Mid-Winter Pest Control Treatments: 3 Reasons Why One Treatment Won’t Work

1) Short Pesticide Life-Span

Store-bought and commercially used pesticides for homes have a short residual life, meaning they break down and become ineffective in a short amount of time (1-2 months depending on weather). Once the material breaks down, your home is open for ants and other pests. One treatment will knock down an ant population, but queens constantly lay eggs, and the population will rebound in no time.

2) Pheromone Trails:

When a worker ant finds a source of food or water, that ant will return to the nest and leave a pheromone trail behind that tells the other workers where to go. These pheromone trails last much longer (up to a year) than any residual pesticide you or a professional will apply around your home. Once the pesticide breaks down, ants can follow these trails back into your home unharmed.

3) Cryptic Nests:

It’s not always easy for a pest management professional to find ant nests. Carpenter ants sometimes give us clues (piles of sawdust), but this is only if we’re lucky. If there are one or more ant nests inside your home, then a single treatment may help with one nest, but have little or no effect on a nest on the other side of your home.

 Credits: Is One Treatment Enough to Get Rid of Ants? « Modern Pest Control …

With regular visits, your Apollx Pest Control experts can monitor pest activity, give you expert advice to prevent future infestations, and actually save you money in the long run from unsuccessful DIY treatments and pest damage.

A single treatment only offers immediate gratification. If you want a long-term solution against ants and other pests, regular visits with preventative treatments is your best option.

Call ApolloX Pest Control

(888) 499-7378

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