It isn't easy to detect signs of termites on your property. These insects are elusive by nature. So, when you see damage to the wood of your home, it can get you wondering if you have a termite problem. Without knowledge, there isn't much to back up your theory. Today, we're going to tell you how to identify signs of termite activity and how to evaluate your problem to determine what you can do about it. We'll walk through all of the most important facts you need to know, share some helpful DIY tips, and tell you what the professionals use to get complete control of termites in Charlotte, North Carolina. If you don't live in Charlotte, don't worry. The termites we battle are Eastern subterranean termites, and they're found all the way up and down the East Coast and in many states across the continental United States. They are the most common termites in America and responsible for the most damage to man-made structures. If you need fast answers to your termite questions or you'd like to schedule a termite treatment for your Charlotte property, contact us at any time. Your ProForce Pest Control team uses the most advanced products and field-tested methods to ensure complete control.
You're Not Likely To See A Termite: How To Identify Signs Of Activity
When you notice damage to the wood of your home, you'll have to put on your detective hat and follow the clues to find evidence of termite activity. These insects aren't going to make it easy for you. Subterranean termites, as their name implies, live underneath the ground. So, you'll have to look near the ground to catch them.
Look For Workers: The workers are the most plentiful termites in a colony, but they live their entire lives in utter darkness and stay out of sight. If you hope to find them, you'll have to look underneath objects that touch the soil. Do you have campfire wood or dead branches in your yard? Do you have a wooden border around your landscaping? These are great places to catch workers. A worker termite is pale and about ? of an inch long.
Look For Mud Tubes: Worker termites create tunnels above ground out of soil and saliva to travel through. Inspect your foundation wall. Mud tubes are typically thin, wiggly lines of mud. As workers create their tubes, they sometimes build branches in their tunnels, making the tubes look like muddy tree branches. They also stack tubes on top of each other.
Look For Swarmers: During the spring, termite nests release winged reproductives, called swarmers, due to the way they gather into a swarm during the mating process. These termites are black, about ? inches long, and have white wings.
Look For Swarmer Wings: After mating, termite swarmers shed their wings. Inspect dark hiding places around your home and check spider webs for these white wings. Termite wings have a uniform teardrop shape.
Check For Hollow Wood: If termites are inside a wood member, you may tell by tapping on it. A strong support beam should never sound like it is hollowed out on the inside. If it does, it is likely that you have termites.
Evaluate The Damage: If you see a piece of wood that is damaged, peel away the surface and look inside. Termites create tunnels on top of each other, and their tunnels will feel gritty when you run your finger over them. If you find smooth tunnels, it is more likely that you have a carpenter ant infestation.
It isn't always possible to track down termites, even when you know where to look and how to evaluate the evidence you find. Because of how difficult they are to detect, many licensed professionals have turned to specialized monitoring devices to catch termite activity. These devices have a bait that the termites are interested in. When the termite workers take the bait, your service professional is able to easily detect it. If you think you have a termite problem but can't find the evidence, contact ProForce Pest Control for a professional termite inspection or installation of a termite bait system for your Charlotte home.
Understanding The Termite Threat: What You Need To Know
The most valuable fact to understand about termites is how sneaky they are. They can eat you out of the house and home without providing any detectable warning signs. That makes avoiding termite damage a challenge. But there are a few more facts you should know.
Once termites enter your yard, they aren't going away. Termites don't move about from location to location. They build a nest, send out swarmers, and build more nests.
Termite workers work day and night all year long to consume food sources.
Termites travel as much as a hundred yards to find a meal.
Termites quietly consume wood from the inside.
If you suspect a termite problem, it is smart to get professional service. One of the worst outcomes of DIY termite control is that property owners think their properties are protected, even when treatments aren't successful.
Professional Termite Extermination: Know When To Call In The Experts
There is no tipping point for a termite problem. Our suggestion is to contact a professional long before you see a problem – and even more so when you suspect that you have one. When called on to exterminate termites, ProForce Pest Control uses the most trusted, professional-grade termite control product available. We inject Termidor into key areas to arrest termite activity. Termidor is powerful and effective for two important reasons.
Termites can't detect the treatment material. Therefore, they are unable to avoid treated soil or wood.
When termite workers pick up the material, they share it with the other workers in their colony. As the active ingredient moves through the colony, it works slowly to eliminate the termites and flies under the radar of the queen. She doesn't know there is a problem until it is too late.
Your ProForce Pest Control team can tackle any termite problem, no matter how large. We have the experience to track the issue, evaluate the threat, and apply the solution effectively. We can also install a bait system to monitor termite activity. The bait stations are put into the ground where the termites will find the bait, and the stations are placed 10 to 20 feet apart. When the termites take the bait, your service professional will know, and you'll know.
Stay Termite-Free: Helpful Tips To Prevent Reinfestation
Once the termites are gone, are you all set? Yes. If you continue with ongoing termite monitoring and protection. We offer termite control with our home pest control service plans. While we're guarding your property from mosquitoes, cockroaches, rodents, and other pests, we're also checking for termite activity. In fact, we check more often than most other companies. While they're checking their customers once a year, we check our customers four times a year during routine pest maintenance visits. There is no better way to guard your Charlotte property.
But what if you don't get ongoing termite control or a pest control service plan? You're not without options. There are ways to reduce the risk of termite damage. While not as effective or trustworthy as professional termite control, it is better to do something than nothing. Here are our best tips:
Collect branches from your yard and place the sticks inside a plastic bin rather than on the soil in a pile. Doing this will prevent the wood from being a meal for termites. Worker termites prefer natural wood sources like branches, and as the branches decay, they become even more delicious.
Pick up any debris around your yard. Termites eat many items that have cellulose, not just wood. Once they find a food source near your home, they are more likely to move inside.
Check for wood-to-ground contact. If you have a wood fence that touches the soil or a wooden skirt at the base of your home that makes contact with the ground, take steps to address these issues, as they provide a direct pathway for termites to enter the wood of your home.
If you have a dying tree, it may be a termite-infested tree. But, even if it isn't, that tree is an attractant for termites and other wood-damaging pests. Consider having it removed.
Do you have a fire pit in your backyard? Do you store firewood on the ground near the pit? Store your wood on something that keeps it off the soil so termites can't feed on it. Camp firewood is like ice cream for termites.
Address moisture issues on your property. Termite workers can't survive in dry conditions. Therefore, moisture attracts them.
Routinely check your property for the warning signs listed above, particularly in the spring.
Should you ever need professional home pest control services, contact ProForce Pest Control for assistance in Charlotte. Our experienced and highly-trained team is here to help you keep your property free of termites.