Annually, homes numbering over 2 million need to be treated for termite infestation. It takes the eyes of an experienced Termite pest control inspector to see if these insects have invaded a building because usually, people cannot see or hear termites.
In their proper place in nature, termites eat cellulose, the building block of cell walls in trees and other plants. These insects actually provide a valuable service in the correct habitat as they decompose fallen trees, leaves, and other plant debris.
The Termite Lifestyle – What Sugarland Residents Want to Know
Termites live in colonies of 60,000 to 1.5 million insects in the soil or in trees. They seek out moisture in the soil. Highly organized in behavior, termites function in castes, each of which has certain tasks and behaviors. The different kinds of termites include the queen, king, swarmer, soldier and worker. The queen, king, and swarmers are involved in reproduction.
The Termite “footprint”
Termites excavate mud tubes which traverse masonry or brick right between the dirt surrounding a structure and its wooden components. These tubes have a diameter similar to a pencil. They litter counter tops, floors and window sills with their paper-like wings which measure 3/8 to 1/2 inch in length. They also mar the painted surfaces of wood.
While homeowners rarely see Termites in Sugarland as the worker and soldier termites are basically active, but hidden from view, people do see winged reproductives. Termites swarm in the fall and spring. Resembling winged ants, these reproductives are born in the colony and leave it in a swarm formation during a spring rain around dawn or dusk.
The insects are mostly ground dwellers and look for their food sources far away from their colonies as their population increases in size. They construct tunnels underground, or they make shelter tubes above the ground so they can look for new sources of wood and connect where they are eating directly to the soil. These shelter tubes provide the means for termites to get into buildings through expansion joints, cracks in the foundation, below ground insulation, bricks or cinder blocks or through gaps as small as 1/32 inch around plumbing pipes.
Termite Pest Control Measures
The homeowner has recourse to several ways to stop Termites in Sugarland. For instance, pile lumber, firewood, mulch, or anything else made of paper, wood or insulation as far away from the building as possible. Construct support elements for decks, patios, porches and so on more than 12 inches from the foundation, and use pressure-treated wood products for any structural element which has contact with the ground.
Repair leaking water lines or plumbing fixtures promptly so the wood components of the house do not become saturated. The same applies to eaves, shingles or downspouts. Check air quality and humidity levels in crawl spaces. A simple change of light bulb color from white to yellow or amber in the spring keeps swarming termites away from the home at night.
Of course, the best defense against termites is having a Termite pest control professional look through your home. He is knowledgeable in the signs of termite infestation in your area. He has the training and expertise to recommend an effective plan of treatment and prevention to keep your property as termite-free as possible. He can put up a baiting system and chemical barrier to eliminate any existing infestation and to keep the insects from coming back to your home.
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