Termite Identification and Treatment
Termites are a problem for any homeowner because they arrive and set up house in secret. The biggest challenge of termite damage control is that, by the time a homeowner notices they’re in the home, they’ve already been there for a while. Termites are also like a lot of other kinds of insects in that, for each one you see, there are probably a lot more.
In the case of termites, they live in colonies. So, once a homeowner sees evidence of termites, he knows he is dealing with a colony, and every member of that colony has got to eat. But don’t panic! Termites are very treatable. In fact, termites are one of our specialties.
Who ya gonna call?
What to look for
Mud tubes: mud tubes are the most iconic sign of a termite. They are usually light tan and about the size of an iPhone charger cable. When you break one open, you may see something that looks like albino ants. Those are termite nymphs.
Swarms/wings: if you see a swarm of termites, you might think it’s a swarm of flying ants. Later, you may find wings. Those are termites and termite wings.
Paint damage, frass: f you see tiny holes in the paint, odd bubbling of paint, or something that looks like a small pile of sawdust, those are signs of termites. Frass looks like tiny piles or trails of sawdust or sawdust pellets. It is six-sided, about one mm, and can be light brown, tan, dark brown, and everything in between.
Food sources
Termites eat wood, of course, but not just wood, per se. What they eat is cellulose, and they’re lucky because most homes have some form of cellulose as part of their construction. For a homeowner, it means keeping an eye out for signs of infestation and actively looking for them a couple of times per year in their home, woodpile, lumber pile, or any wood structure on the property.
Treatment
Depending on the type of situation, there are several things we can do. There are generally two types of chemicals. One is a barrier, which is designed to keep termites away. The second type is bait. The termite will take the bait back to the colony, and it will poison the whole colony. Each situation is different, and how we treat it is based on what we find. The important thing is to find them and take care of them before they can do substantial damage.
In many cases, keeping a sharp eye out and calling a pro when you find evidence of termites is a proactive way of minimizing an infestation and resulting damage.
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