As you may know, termites are a huge problem for many homeowners in Malaysia. They can cause tens of thousands of ringgits in damages to your home, and they often go undetected until the damage is done! This blog post will talk about how to identify termite infestations early on, what type of treatments work best, and other things you should know about these pesky bugs.
PS: People have to deal with termites, but that doesn’t mean they need to do it alone. If you want to get rid of termites for good and avoid costly damages, call us today for professional termite control! We can handle all levels of infestation so you can get the peace of mind you deserve.
What Do Termites Look Like?
Termites don’t really look like monsters (as many people portray them to be) Just like any other insect, termites have specific characteristics that you can use to determine them from the rest.
In Malaysia, there are 3 types of termites and each one looks a bit different. These termites are dampwood, subterranean, and drywood termites. To know how each of these creatures looks, check the info we’ve provided below:
Subterranean Termites – Subterranean termites often look darker in color, compared to other termites. They have a flat body with antennae protruding from their head and longer legs than the rest of their bodies allow them to be quick when it comes to moving through your home’s structure. This is typically what you see if you spot a subterranean termite infestation on your property.
Drywood Termites – Their name says it all! As drywood termites live within wooden structures (or areas near wood), they are often found close or inside rafters, beams, flooring, or roofing tiles where moisture levels are high enough for them to survive without drowning. These pests can look like winged ants at first glance but once you take a closer look, keep an eye out for their uniformed, oval-shaped bodies.
Dampwood Termites – Unlike their drywood cousins who are usually found in wooden structures or areas with high moisture levels, dampwood termite infestations can be spotted around water-damaged wood that is close to the soil line. These pests have a dark brown color and look like wingless ants when they’re at rest because of how small they are! You may also see them swarming on windowsills if you live near rainforest vegetation where there’s plenty of humidity. If you notice these signs, it might be time to call us for an inspection so they can find out what type of termites are living within your walls before things get worse!
How to Identify a Termite Infestation
Although termites may differ, they often show the same signs of infestation. Termites will start off by eating the wood surrounding your home’s foundation, causing damage that can go unnoticed for years. Once they work their way up to your flooring or roofing tiles, you may start noticing sagging floors and moldy ceilings as water begin to leak through damaged areas after heavy rains.
In addition, you’ll also start noticing frass, a type of dirt and feces that termites bring out of their nests as they eat through your home’s wooden structure. This substance has a silky feel to it, similar to what you’d expect from lint or cotton candy after being chomped on by tiny bugs. If you start to see bubbling paint, hollow wood, holes on furniture, or a strange, musty smell in your home that you can’t seem to pinpoint the source of, termites may be the reason.
You’ll also begin noticing swarms of flying termites in certain parts of the house if there is an infestation nearby, which can be scary at first since they look like miniature black insects with wings. Also known as alates, these critters don’t pose any threat unless they’re inside your home where their large numbers can breed more colonies that will cause even more damage over time.
The Best Termite Treatments
If termites are detected in your home, the first thing you should do is call a professional to handle them. Termites are stubborn creatures and it’s best to leave the extermination process in the hands of pest control experts who know how to handle these creatures without hurting yourself or your family members.
Depending on the severity of an infestation, professionals may use termite treatments such as fumigation or heat to kill termites inside your home. With fumigation, soil treatment is sometimes used so that the entire colony dies before you need to do any work cleaning up after them!
Another treatment option is to use a chemical spray that contains boric acid and sulfluramid, which will kill termites on contact. This type of treatment works best when the colony has been exposed to it for several days before dying off completely from its exposure.
Depending on how bad your infestation may be, some pest control companies offer pre-treatments that work by inserting bait into areas where there might be termite activity so they can feed upon these chemicals until they die without spreading them around too much within your home’s structure!
The New Understanding
The truth is, termites are a common pest that can cause serious damage to homes and businesses, but there is hope. By using a professional termite treatment company like ProTermiteControl, you won’t have to worry about your home being destroyed by these pests or the accompanying costs of repair.
Contact us today for more information on how we help keep families safe from termites with our guaranteed service!