Termites

What You Should Know About Termites

One thing unique about termites is that they’re social creatures. As a result, they’re always working to achieve a few common goals. For instance, they work together to ensure that the colony has enough food and water. They also work together to maintain and protect their shelter. More about termites will be provided below.

• Termites eat cellulose which can be found in plants, lumber, cotton fibers, furniture, and paper. They will destroy your home if you don’t tackle the problem swiftly.
• Termites can build mounds once their colony has grown too big. The mounds will continue growing as the colony gets larger. Some termites burrow in the wood they eat and create nests there. If you’re concerned you have termites, you should look for mud tubes around your property. Termites use these tubes to reach food sources that may be nearby.
• Subterranean termites should be your biggest concern. They’re the most common species in the United States and cause 95% of the damage done in the US.

Termite Responsibilities & Classes

When dealing with termites, you will find that each colony contains certain termite classes. The termite’s responsibility depends on its class. More about this will be provided below.

Queen Termites

The queen termite is the largest in the colony with some reaching 4” in length. The queen is massive so she can’t move through the tunnels without help from hundreds of worker termites. Nevertheless, the queen plays the vital role of producing more worker termites so they can build and maintain tunnels. A queen may live for more than 10 years while producing 30,000 eggs daily.

King Termites

King and queen termites work together to build the colony. The king helps the queen reproduce and expand the colony’s size.

Worker Termites

These soft-bodied termites are light and reach up to 10mm. They resemble a grain of rice, but they’re more destructive. Worker termites continue working around the clock so they’re the backbone of the operation. Without worker termites, the colony will never survive. Workers perform all mundane activities, including searching for food, grooming termites, and repairing the colony’s tunnels.

Soldier Termites

Although soldier termites and worker termites look similar, soldiers have longer heads. In addition to this, they have powerful jaws so they can defend the colony. When ants try to invade the termite colony, the soldier ants enter the picture and protect the colony.

Swarmers

There are male and female swarmer termites. They work together to help the colony spread to new locations. They have wings so they can travel a good distance from their colonies to build new colonies. All termite colonies have countless winged swarmers, but they only have one king and one queen.

Which Termite Species Are Found In Philadelphia?

Although Philadelphia has other termite species, the most common species are Subterranean termites. They can be found in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

Basics Of Subterranean Termites

Subterranean termites are the most common species in Philadelphia and the United States. If you’ve found termites on your property, you’re likely dealing with Subterranean termites. The Subterranean species causes most of the damage to American homes. When dealing with this species, you’ll find that they have all of the aforementioned classes, including kings, queens, workers, and swarmers. Worker and soldier Subterranean termites can grow up to three-eights of an inch, but soldiers have longer heads and stronger jaws. Swarmers may reach up to half an inch.

Common Subterranean Termite Behaviors

Although Subterranean termites prefer living underground, they may live in moist locations above the surface. They’ll also establish mud tunnels or tubes to give them a direct, safe route to nearby food sources. These tubes keep them safe from predators. Termites feed on cellulose and Subterranean termites do as well. When spring arrives, swarmers or reproductive Subterranean termites will leave the colony to build more colonies elsewhere.

The Biggest Threats

You cannot ignore a Subterranean termite infestation because they’ll cause immense problems. For instance, they’re one of the most destructive termites. Once they’ve entered your property, they’re going to use their hard jaws to chew through your wood. Before you know it, your home will be severely damaged and you’ll need to repair the damages.

Comparing Flying Termites And Flying Ants

It is important to know the differences between flying termites and flying ants.

Wings – Both have wings, but they’re different. Flying termites have back and front wings of equal lengths. Flying ants have shorter wings in the back. Another difference is that flying ants have durable wings but flying termites do not.

Waists – To determine what you’re dealing with, look at the insect’s waist. If you see a pinched waist, you’re dealing with flying ants. Otherwise, flying termites have entered your property.

Antennas – It is easy to determine which insect you’re dealing with by looking at its antennas. If they’re straight, you’re looking at a flying termite. If you have flying ants, the antennas will be elbowed.

Interesting Facts Regarding Termites

You may think you know everything about termites, but you likely don’t.

• Worker termites continue eating all day and night. They never stop eating and feeding other termites in the colony.
• Once a termite colony is established on your property, it won’t disappear quickly. It can live as long as 50 to 70 years.
• 500,000 termites or more can reside in the same colony.
• Termites are helpful in the wilderness because they’ll help dispose of dead and decaying wood.
• Most termites need constant access to water or they’ll dry out and die.
• When moving above ground, termites build and maintain wet mud tubes.
• Ants are the primary concern for termites. They can attack termite workers when they’re searching for food.
• You can take steps to eliminate the entire termite colony.
• More than 2,000 species can be found in the world and there may be more.
• The United States is home to roughly 40 termites with most of them being found in the southeastern portion of the US.
• Alaska is the only state that doesn’t have to worry about termites.
• Subterranean termites cause most of the structural damage in the United States.
• They cannot destroy concrete, but they can move through its cracks.
• Workers are the only termites that can eat and digest cellulose so they have to gather food and feed other members of the colony.
• Queen termites lay thousands of eggs daily and can live more than 20 years.

What Dangers Do Termites Pose?

Termites can create a wealth of problems for Philadelphia residents, but they’re not dangerous to humans or pets. Your primary concern should be your biggest investments. For instance, termites can quickly destroy a residential dwelling. You need to go above and beyond to defend your home from these pests. Otherwise, they’re going to damage your home to the point that it is no longer safe. Call an exterminator as quickly as possible to prevent this from happening.

Dealing With Termites

When termites have entered your property, your home is at severe risk. Termites can travel as far as 300 feet to reach your home. As a result, it will be difficult to pinpoint the location of the termite colony. Suffice to say, getting rid of the colony won’t be easy. Since it is so difficult to find the termite nest and routes, calling an exterminator is highly recommended. Philadelphia residents cannot ignore this problem because it’ll lead to costly repairs or total loss. Call us because we can take care of the problem safely.

Does DIY Pest Control Support Termite Infestations

DIY pest control consists of over-the-counter pesticides and insecticides. These products are conveniently accessible, affordable, and effective in mild termite cases. We can recommend DIY pest control pesticides in these cases. But, there is no guarantee it will deliver satisfactory results.

Many consumers have reported success in mild cases where only a few termites are involved. Some of these individuals have admitted their termite problem was so severe that the DIY pesticides were 100 percent ineffective. Others have admitted to utilizing several treatments to achieve the maximum results.

When you consider the cost of over-the-counter pesticides, the number of repeat treatment requirements, and the hassle of repeatedly going back to the store, professional pest control may be more efficient

When Can The Exterminator Inspect My Apartment For Termites?

In most cases, our exterminators are on standby when a consumer submits a termite inspection request. With the request in hand, a customer support personnel will contact the client concerning approval. We can dispatch an exterminator out to the client’s home within 24 and 48 hours of the initial pest control request.

Does Termite Pest Control Products Contain Toxic Chemicals?

Our termite pest control does and does not utilize toxic chemicals. When we are called in to investigate a termite problem, we immediately get down to business. We visually inspect the interior, exterior, and around the perimeter of the client’s property. Our skilled exterminators are searching for signs of termite activity, which vary from case to case. If signs are detected during the visual inspection, the exterminator will take note and relay his findings to the client.

At this point, the client is offered an array of treatment options – pesticide-based, chemical-free, eco-friendly, and organic formulas. While we will offer a recommendation, the decision is the clients to make. We highly recommend our chemical-free pesticides to clients with environmental and health concerns. However, all of our pest control pesticides are EPA-approved. The US Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating pesticide sales and production.

What Are The Best Termite Prevention Measures?

• Eliminate decaying organic materials that contain cellulose

• Improve humidity levels in problem areas like basements, crawlspaces, and attics
• Relocate firewood and lumber piles further away from your home
• Store wood five inches above the ground floor to combat deterioration problems
• Attach underground drainage system to gutter downspouts to diverse rainwater away from your home
• Install PVC pipes on your heat pump or air conditioning unit to capture and divert condensation away from the foundation of your home
• Contact our Philadelphia exterminators to request a free termite inspection and/or consultation