Termites

As a property owner, you should be familiar with the tiny insect known as the termite. This social insect is highly known for its structural damage to all kinds of structures. Termites gnaw their way through wooden structures like trees, houses, sheds, decks, and birdhouses. The diet consists of cellulose derived from paper, lumber, firewood, cotton fiber, cardboard, and plants.

The termite lives in colonies, with a queen, king, soldiers, workers, and winged reproductive. Each of these groups plays a major role in ensuring the longevity of the colony. The most important member of the termite colony, the queen is responsible for growing the numbers. The queen is so important that if she dies, the colony will exist for a short time only.

Termites build underground tunnels that connect to create quite an extensive living space. The termite worker spends the majority of his time erecting underground tunnels and nests for the young. They also help move the termite queen because her size prohibits her functionality.

Ninety-five percent of the damage caused by the entire species is contributed to the Subterranean termite. Evidence shows the damage caused by the Subterranean termite species costs approximately $2 billion each year in the United States alone.

The Termite Colony – What Property Owners Should Know

Termite Queen – The termite colony would not exist if it were not for the queen. In control environments, the queen will grow up to four inches in length. Her enormous size prohibits her movement, forcing her to rely on the termite workers for positional changes.

Termite queens do not switch mates. Instead, she chooses to stay with the same mate forever.

One termite queen can easily produce up to 30,000 eggs in a 24-hour period. The average lifespan is 10 years. To ensure the longevity of the colony, the queen must produce adequate eggs for nymphs and workers.

Termite King – As a primary reproductive member of the termite colony, the king continuously mates with the queen. The king also helps in building the colony from scratch.

The termite king has a big responsibility to continuously build the colony.

Worker Termite – One of the most important members of the termite colony is the worker. With endless responsibilities, the worker is continuously building, extending, and repairing the underground tunnel network.

The average size of a worker termite is 10 millimeters in length. Some experts describe the size of a granule of cooked rice. In addition to erecting tunnels, the worker is responsible for building nests for the young.

The workers help care for the eggs and larvae, forge for food and feed the younger members of the colony.

Soldier Termite – The security of the colony is the responsibility of the soldier termite. The soldier spends most of his time fighting off predatory animals, insects, and termites.

The soldier is wingless with two heads. It utilizes its mandible to kill predators.

Winged Reproductive – The reproductive termite helps the queen build the colony. Unfortunately, the reproductive termite does not stay with the colony forever. When they grow their wings, they leave their colonies behind in search of mates. They eventually become a termite queen and termite king for a brand-new colony.

Subterranean Termites Are Common In Our Area

Summary

Subterranean termites live in complex colonies. The colony will have a few important members, including soldiers, workers, and reproductive termites. The appearance and size of the termite depend on its responsibility. Each termite has an important responsibility that it must fulfill to ensure that the colony thrives.

Behaviors

Subterranean termites tend to do the same things repeatedly. For instance, they’ll usually live in underground colonies. When they need to reach food sources, they’re going to construct mud tubes. They’ll use the tubes to reach nearby food sources without being attacked or exposed to the open sky. These termites want to eat cellulose. It is found in many products, including wood, cardboard, and other items.

Threats

Around the world, subterranean termites are the most destructive termite species. Unfortunately, they can quickly destroy a home. They have jaws that work like saws. They’ll chew off small pieces of wood and destroy your home. Get rid of them to prevent them from severely damaging your home.

Flying Ants & Flying Termites

Flying ants are often mistaken for flying termites. Still, you must remember that there are numerous differences between the two. For instance, flying ants look like flying ants. They have unique elbowed antennas and a pinched waist. Flying termites do not have these attributes. Their antennas are straight, and their waists are not pinched.

Unique Facts

Learn as much as you can about termites. Below, you’ll find out more about unique termite facts.

• A termite colony will never stop destroying your home. They’ll continue consuming your wood for months and years. Kill them to stop them.
• Termite colonies can survive for a long time. In some cases, they’ll survive for 70 years. Work with a professional to get rid of them to minimize the damage they do.
• On average, a termite colony in the United States will house up to 500,000 insects.
• Termites are helpful to the environment because they help get rid of deadwood. They recycle these materials and keep forests clean.
• Many termite species need access to water. Without water, a Subterranean termite would die.
• Termites can live underground and aboveground. When living above ground, they need to keep the tunnels wet.
• Ants regularly attack termites and termite colonies.
• You can wipe out the entire colony. Working with a professional exterminator is best.
• Around the world, researchers have identified more than 2,000 termite species.
• In America, you can encounter up to 40 termite species. Most are located in the southeast.
• Every state is prone to termites except Alaska.
• Most of the damage done by termites is done by subterranean termites.
• They cannot chew through concrete. Still, they can move through its cracks easily.
• The worker termites are vitally important. They have to eat and digest cellulose before feeding other members of the colony.
• Queen termites can easily lay thousands of eggs each day.

Primary Dangers

You’re likely worried about termites and the dangers they pose. The good news is that these pests aren’t incredibly dangerous. At the very least, they’re not dangerous to people or pets. Termites aren’t going to bite you or transmit any illnesses. You can also rest assured knowing they’re not going to contaminate your food. However, they can create other issues. For starters, termites are very destructive. Once they invade your property, they’re going to devour the wood around your home. Before you know it, they’ll destroy your property.

In some cases, they can destroy your home and make it uninhabitable. Be careful and protect yourself by wiping them out quickly.

Ways To Get Rid Of Termites

Remember that there are numerous ways to eliminate termites, but some methods are better than others. How can you be positive that you’re picking the best method for your home? Ultimately, it can be difficult to pick the right solution. Stop what you’re doing and call our office. We’ll do our best to help you find the best solution. We have numerous treatments for termites. We’ll help you find out which one is going to work best for your unique situation. Call today to get the process started.

DIY Termite Elimination Methods

Termites are difficult to eliminate. Plus, you have to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the problem is going to quickly worsen. Allowing termites to live on your property will allow them to destroy your home. When it comes to termites, every second matters. While some DIY methods are helpful, they might not be effective enough. Call our office. Stay away from potentially dangerous DIY methods by letting our skilled exterminators help you.

Response Times

We’re eager to begin helping you. We’ll do our best to rectify the problem right away. We’re waiting for your phone call. Once you’ve called, we’ll make sure one of our representatives calls you back within 24 to 48 hours.

We Offer Safest Treatments

We understand that you’re worried about letting an exterminator use chemicals and other products in your home. It is common for our clients to worry about their safety. Rest assured knowing we’re going to protect you during each phase of the process. For instance, we’ve trained our technicians thoroughly, so they know how to use the latest methods safely. We’re confident that they’ll keep you safe. Finally, you can breathe a sigh of relief because we use the latest EPA-registered products. When you let us help, you can guarantee that everything will be okay.

Preventing Termites From Entering Your Home

Ultimately, you should do your best to keep termites out of your dwelling. Otherwise, they’re going to invade and destroy your property. Use the advice below to keep them out.

• First, you should make sure that your home’s gutters, splash blocks, and downspouts are working properly. They can help keep water away from your home’s foundation.
• Find and fix any leaks around your home. You’ll need to check for leaks around plumbing pipes, faucets, and elsewhere.
• Humidity can lead to termites as well. You must reduce the humidity levels around your home. Make sure your attic, basement, and crawlspace are dry.
• If you’re going to store firewood on your property, do so carefully. Store the wood off the ground and at least 20 feet away from the dwelling.
• Conventional mulch needs to be kept away from the home’s foundation.
• Check your home and property for the signs of termites regularly.
• If you find termites or termite signs on your property, call our office. We’ll try to resolve the problem right away.

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