What do you think of when someone mentions termites? If the answer is that they are pests, then you’re on the right track. Termites can be a huge problem for homeowners, and it’s important to know what to look out for in case your property becomes infested with them.
Read our blog post on The Phases of Termite Infestations to learn more about this common household pest!
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The Different Phases of Termites
When it comes to termites, they don’t just suddenly appear out of nowhere and start wreaking havoc. These creatures actually go through several phases before they become the problem that homeowners dread. Let’s take a look at some of these stages below:
Phase 1: Termite InfiltrationĀ in Your Property
Before termites create colonies in your property, they will first have to infiltrate it. During a specific season, termite swarmers (which are actually alates) will leave the nests where they were born and fly out to find new homes.
Termites are often attracted to places where cellulose is present. If you have dead logs, shrubs, scraps of wood, or anything made of cellulose, they will be more likely to pay you a visit. Unfortunately for homeowners, the wood in their homes is also one of these insect’s preferred materials.
If these flying termites get attracted to your home, they will begin to infiltrate your property. They will slowly build new colonies right under your nose!
Phase 2: Termite FeedingĀ on Wooden Structures
Once termites have infiltrated your property, they will then begin to feed on the wooden structures that you own. Unlike other pests like ants and cockroaches (which actually contaminate food), termites only eat wood or anything that contains cellulose. This means if there is a colony nested in your home or yard, it can cause significant damage to any wooden items nearby.
In addition, termites will start building mud tubes around your property. These tubes are used to protect them from predators and the elements. Mud tubes are made out of mud and saliva. If you notice these tubes on your walls or floors, then you can expect a colony of termites nesting in your home.
Phase 3: Visible Damage
When an infestation has progressed, you will start to notice visible damage on your wooden structures.
If you see large, round holes in the wood of your furniture or walls; if there are piles of sawdust near those areas; and/or if the surface is hollowed out, this could mean that termites have been devouring your property from within. In addition, these pests might also abandon their mud tubes once they’ve eaten through most of a material’s structure (this usually happens when it becomes too brittle), which can lead to even more damage.
During phase 3, an exterminator is definitely necessary to get rid of your termite problem. At this point, the colony has simply grown too big and needs to be taken care of before it can cause more damage!
Termite Treatments to Consider
Depending on the severity of your case, there are several termite treatments that can help remove and stop the infestation. Here are some of the most common treatments that professional pest control companies offer:
Chemical Treatments: These chemicals can be used to treat soil around your property, which will kill termites before they reach vulnerable wooden structures.
Heat Treatment: if termite infestations have already reached structural materials, heat treatment might be able to kill off any colonies inside them. Termites cannot stand high heat, so they will die if exposed to it.
Fumigation: Another effective but less commonly used solution is fumigation. This method releases poisonous gases into an area where a colony has nested in order to eradicate it completely – even its larvae won’t survive this process!
Termite Baiting Systems: lastly, you could consider purchasing or renting out a termite bait system, which is a long-term solution that can help eradicate a termite colony from the inside. These things work by filling them up with attractants, which are then taken back to the colony. Once there, they will contaminate all of its members before eventually killing it off completely.
In Conclusion
Termites can be a difficult pest to control, but knowing how they work and what to look for will make you better prepared. By understanding the phases of termite infestations, you can take steps in advance that may help prevent an infestation from ever happening.
If you have any questions or want to stop termites from invading your home, don’t hesitate to give us a call so our experts can assist you accordingly!