Termites

(by Robert Holyfield)

This is the time of the year that Termites let you know they exist in your world. In the spring when the temperature and moisture conditions are favorable, you may see thousands of these critters swarming from the ground or worse yet the inside of your home. January to May is the time of the year the Eastern Subterranean termite swarms in north Florida. If you notice a lot of dead bugs in the bathtub or shower or on a window ledge, you may have a problem and need to seek a professional inspection. Occasionally Termites will swarm through the attic and out the vents and can go undetected for years causing major damage. Swarming termites closely resemble winged ants with some differences. An ant will have four wings, two long and two short. A termite will have four wings of equal length. An ant will have three sections to the body where a termite will only have two. The antennae of the ant will elbow where the termite will be straight. The reason you find them in heavy numbers at windows is they are trying to get outside to pair up as a King and Queen and start another colony. This is the process they do to keep their species from going extinct. Of the hundreds to thousands of termites that swarm from a single colony, only a few will survive.

Other signs to look for would be mud tunnels going up the outside of the house, tiny holes in the sheetrock with dirt or mud, bubbling paint, and or discarded wings (from swarmers) near doors, windows, & in cobwebs.

Americans spend around 5 billion annually repairing damage caused by these little critters. Termites are located throughout the US with the Eastern subterranean termite being the most common and widely distributed termite in the USA. FACT: A queen termite can live more than 15 years and lay one egg every 15 seconds for most of her life.

There are three main ways of fighting termites; repellent termiticides, non-repellent termiticides, and baits.

Repellent products do just that. They repel the termites and leave them to regroup to fight another day. Non- repellent products such as Premise and Altriset actually want termites to come in contact with them as they will spread the product throughout the colony. Baiting is the third way of combating these critters and Dow’s Sentricon baiting system has been providing protection since 1994. With Sentricon, bait is introduced to the termites to eliminate the colony. Bug Out Service also uses a product called Altriset made by DuPont. It is the only termiticide on the market to not carry a signal word on the label making it one of the greenest products around. We use this product along with the Sentricon baiting system providing a one, two knock out punch on termites.

Prevention tips: No home is termite proof but there are things you can do to improve your chances of not getting them. Look for conducive conditions (conditions favorable for termites).

1. Keep wood siding away from touching the ground.

2. Keep firewood away from the house.

3. Divert water away from the home with downspout extensions.

4. Try using alternative landscape materials such as rubber mulch or rocks.


As always if you need any help on termites or other critters.
Give us a call!

Bug Out Service

904-743-8272


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