Every year termites cost Americans over one billion dollars in damages. That is more than tornadoes, hurricanes and windstorms combined. They work from the inside out which makes them undetectable at times. The damage they cause is also done slowly so often times it goes unnoticed. If termites go undetected for too long they can inevitably end up destroying a home.
A-Tex Pest Management Can Help You Understand Termites and the Damage They Cause
Different Types of Termites
Termites are considered social insects and live in colonies like ants. They all need cellulose to survive, and they find this in wood. Worker termites can live up to 23 years and the queen can live and lay eggs for up to 50 years! In Greater Austin, Texas, there are two types of termites that homeowners generally need to worry about, subterranean termites, dry wood termites and damp wood termites.
Subterranean Termites – In, Texas several species of subterranean termite species are found including Eastern, Arid-Land and Formosan subterranean termites. These termites live in nests underground. They need the moisture from the soil to survive. This is where they reproduce and usually build tunnels to the nearest homes or other wood sources for food.
Drywood Termites – In Texas, we deal with the Western dry wood termite species. These termites are not found in soil. They prefer to build their nests under wooden shingles, eaves or siding. They receive their moisture from wood and the home rather than soil like the subterranean termites.
Dampwood Termites – The desert damp wood termite is the species of damp wood termite found in Texas. This species infests wood at or below ground level and does not build mud shelter tubes above the ground in order to reach wood like other damp wood termites.
Signs of Termites Infestation
Subterranean termites are usually found when they are swarming. This is when they leave to start new colonies and most commonly happens in the spring. They also build tunnels out of mud that is visible on your home’s foundation, walls, plumbing, chimneys, joists, and other fixtures. Finding dirt or soil in the cracks of your house may also be an indication of subterranean termites. A common sign of dry wood termites may be surface blisters on wood. They can be quite messy leaving bits of wings behind and piles of waste that look a lot like sawdust. Have you ever seen a small amount of what looks like sawdust in your corners or on your window sills? This may be a red flag that should not be ignored. Dampwood termite swarmers are dark brown in color and they swarm during the daytime.
Treating Your Termite Problem
There are a couple of ways to go about removing termites from your home. A-Tex Pest Management can help you devise a customized plan to get rid of these destructive insects. The most common ways to get rid of termites is the use of bait and liquid insecticides. They each have their own benefits.
Bait Insecticide – Baits are a more slow-moving solution to the termite problem. They are designed to be carried away to wipe out the entire termite colony. The termites mistake the bait for a food source and the worker termites in the colony take it back to the nest. This may take a little more time but is extremely effective in eliminating the entire colony rather than just a portion of it. This is considered one of the safest ways to get rid of termites, but can sometimes cost more, and take longer to actually get rid of the problem.
Liquid Insecticide – This insecticide is applied to the soil. It is more cost-effective than the bait option and works much faster. This approach is not very environmentally friendly though. If you have had a hard time getting a termite problem under control, using bait might be a better way to go. Sometimes it may be beneficial to use a combination of both methods in order to really wipe out the colony.
A-Tex Pest Management offers full-service pest control in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park Texas. Give us a call today!
There is no beating around the bush, termites equal trouble. Don’t waste any time, and call A-Tex Pest Management today, and they can help shut your termite problem down before it gets out of hand.