Insects, mosquitoes, and mostly termites cause huge trouble at home and commercial settings. These tiny creatures can actually bring your house down by hurting its structural integrity.
Talking about termites, they pose a serious threat to mankind. Right from developing termite colonies to creating havoc at your place, termites can make your life miserable. Pest control services for home allow your place to be secure from such nuisances. Pest exterminators can inspect your property and eliminate the presence of termites and other pests to save you from potential danger and financial loss.
That being said, let’s tell you more about termites, how they can challenge your peace of mind, and how to get rid of them.
What Are Termites?
Biologically, termites belong to the cockroach family. However, they are so little that they actually look like ants. These tiny creatures can be found anywhere around your house especially outdoors. Termites basically feed upon the wood. Rather than infesting a living tree, these creatures choose to attack either rotten wood or things made up of wood.
The termite life cycle begins from larvae of size 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm to a fully developed termite with wings. During reproduction, these organisms shed their wings and reproduce exponentially. The primary source of their living is under the ground. To tell you the truth, there are around 2000 different termite species in the world and some of them are even on the IUCN Red List.
As I said, termites reproduce exponentially and this causes a huge issue to deal with. Termites develop colonies similar to ants and bees. Equivalent to bees, these also have workers, soldiers, and the reproductive warriors along with a termite queen controlling the entire colony and egg production. The termite Queen lays an egg every 2-3 seconds which means that these creatures can take over your house in no time.
he termite colony is sometimes referred to as mound. This mound incorporates hundreds to millions of members capable of reproduction. You can find them in your backyard or in crevices at your place. These creatures have such a well-developed colony that it cannot be torn down physically. Now you know why pest control cockroach treatments become a necessity.
The termites usually feed upon the wood. To be more precise, these ingest on the cellulose contained in wood. Cellulose can also be found in a number of things including leaves, tree stumps or papers. This is the reason why termites are known to damage books above everything. Some of the species are also known to feed upon linen, cotton or leather (seems like they are upgrading themselves).
Where Can I Find Them?
Termites are minute and these cannot be seen by a naked eye. So, if you are searching for them in your house roaming for food, you might be at fault. However, these can definitely be found in minute crevices of your home especially in things made up of wood. For instance, cellars with wooden beams, wooden furniture or firewood. Still, you cannot just detect them because these can live in your furniture for years without revealing themselves. You may find your furniture in perfect shape and size but it can be a house of developed termite colonies inside.
If left untreated by pest control services near me, these structures can collapse at any given point. The worst part about the termite colony is that it can sustain for a good 1-2 years with the Queen living for more than 10 years. The colonies are always in development and increase their number exponentially over time. So, before you even decipher what is wrong, your place can become a major colony of termites.
How Can I Find Them?
As I said, you can not see them with a naked eye but you can definitely look for signs that confirm their presence in your house.
- Find a major infestation: It’s true, you might not even have any signs of infestation at your place yet but that doesn’t account for their absence. These creatures are so smart that they can live under your roof for years without your notice. Here, you don’t have to look for telltale signs but indirect signs of infestation including minute holes in your furniture or sagging floors. If you come across such signs, it’s high time you go and Google pest control services near me.
- Your basement can be a major threat: Termites do not reveal themselves and hide in such places that are difficult to trace. One of such places is your basement. Now, it’s time to ferret out your basement. With the help of a flashlight and screwdriver, check on your wooden beams. Tap on the beam to look for termite dust. If dust comes out of it upon tapping, it’s a sure sign that there is a developed colony inside. Secondly, if your screwdriver can easily pierce through the wooden support, the chances of infestation are on the higher side.
- Feces can reveal their presence: Termite feces can be hard to find but these can be traced immediately. The fecal matter of termites appears like minute granules that are of the same color as the wood. The best place to look for this fecal matter is around or under wooden objects.
- Look for a termite nest: Another way to detect termites is by looking for their nest beneath the ground. You can look for their tunnel inside wooden structures or inside your ground easily.
How To Get Rid Of Them?
If you come across such signs of termite infestation, it is better to go for termite control immediately. Mostly termite colonies are discovered after major damage to your wooden structures. In such a case, DIY termite treatments can do no good for your place. Instead of DIY, ask for professional help. A skilled person can understand the severity of the situation and help you with the right treatment procedure.
We at Last Stop Pest Control can help you kiss goodbye to termites forever. We help both families and business owners save their properties from all sorts of pest problems. To know more, visit us here.
