PEST CONTROL FOR TERMITES

It’s said that there are two kinds of homes in Missouri – those with termites and those that will get termites. Of course, we hope to prevent homes from ever getting termites. However, there are simply too many houses that aren’t properly treated. This makes them vulnerable to invasion by a group of traveling termites looking for lunch. So many buildings are made of cellulose-rich material that termites can’t resist the temptation. They take up residence and eat away at your biggest asset: your home.

In nature, termites feed on the cellulose in leaves and wood from dead trees. They release gases that support the local environment like carbon dioxide and their waste adds nutrients to the soil. However, in urban areas, this natural process accounts for some of the most significant damages to homes in north Missouri.

Termite colonies can be made up of thousands of insects. Their social organization (if we can call it that) is similar to ants in that some fill the role of workers, while others are soldiers, and each colony has a queen. The queen can live for years and is capable of producing thousands upon thousands of offspring.

The most obvious things you can check for are swarms and broken-off wings as signs of a mature colony. Keep an eye out for hollow mud tubes in the soil, as this is a sign that termites are in your area. Earthen mud tubes may also be visible around baseboards, doors, windows, and other wooden items. Also look for these mud tubes on the exterior and interior of crawl spaces. They can come up from the ground and attach to wooden beams, concrete blocks, or pillars.

To inspect your home for termite damage, look for small lines or erosion of materials containing cellulose such as wood structures. If you see what you think might be termite damage, probe the wood with a screwdriver or knife. Inspection should be concerned with the exterior and interior surfaces of the foundation, especially where wood is on or near the soil.

Termites need access to water to live; they get the majority of their water from damp soil or by consuming wet wood. Wood with sustained termite damage might appear like it is ground up at structural intersections. If you do have termites, then you will see tunnels running through the wood (you may need to pry open the wood in these areas in order to uncover the tunnels).

Flaked paint on furniture is also a sign that you have termites. If you notice flaking, look under the furniture to check for the insects.

Termites cause $1 billion in damages to 350,000 structures annually. They present a considerable threat to homes in the Kansas City, Missouri area.

Termites can fly through the air, land on your property, and join others to multiply and infest your home. As a group, they’ll devour your home so quickly and thoroughly that you’ll end up with significant structural damage.

Workers are cream-colored and wingless. Soldiers have elongated brown heads with mandibles. Supplementary reproductive termites are light-colored, whereas, primary reproductive termites range from brown to black and have wings. Termites range from 1/8 to 1 inch in length.

Subterranean termites depend on moisture for survival, unlike dry wood termites; they need little moisture. Subterranean termites can invade homes through cracks in concrete and can attack most wooden objects in a structure.

Primary reproductive termites swarm in an attempt to create new colonies. Supplementary reproductive termites can only reproduce within their own colony.

Subterranean termites usually swarm in spring after a considerable rain event, often on a bright, sunny, and calm (almost windless) day.