How To Identify Formosan Termite Swarmers

Subterranean termites may be responsible for the most damage to U.S. homes each year, but Formosan termites come in at a close second. In fact, Formosan termites are sometimes called “super termites” because they destroy wood faster than their subterranean cousins. If you spot Formosan termite swarmers in or near your home, it’s a sign of an infestation. That means it’s time to take action before they destroy your property any further.

One thing to understand about Formosan termites is that they are actually a type of subterranean termite. Subterranean means underground, and that’s where these termites build their colonies. Just like the termites we more commonly call subterranean, Formosans also build mud tubes along foundations, walls or support beams. They use these tubes to connect their colonies to their food source—wood.

The problem that all types of termites pose in our homes is that they chew through wood for its cellulose. … Read Full Post »

How To Identify Termite Damage Versus Wood Rot

No one wants to see something odd going on with the wood in their homes. Whether it’s a door or window, any kind of damage can send a homeowner into a panic. What if the wood has rotted? Or what if termites have invaded and moved into the home? First, it’s important to know how to tell each type of damage apart from one another.

How to Tell If It Might Be Termites

There are a few tell-tale signs of termites. First, you might see termite swarmers lying dead on a window sill, around a door or flying around. Or you might see mud tubes going up from the ground to your foundation or along a wall in a crawl space. These are shelter tubes that do what they sound like they do. They shelter termites while they march into your home for a wood feast. The third obvious sign is wood … Read Full Post »

How Do Termites Get in Your Home?

March 9, 2021. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Termite Control • Tyler

a home with tree branches touching the roof which is how termites could have gotten in the home

If you’re dealing with a termite infestation or if you think you may be dealing with a termite infestation, you may be overwhelmed and confused. How did termites find your home? How did they make their way inside? What can you do next?

To answer these questions, it’s important to know the different types of termites that are likely to infest your home. In the U.S., the two most common types of termites are subterranean termites and drywood termites. Knowing the differences between these two types is important because the way they enter homes and the treatment methods for each are different.

Subterranean Termites

Subterranean termites travel around by crawling through a network of underground tunnels. This species of termite needs a moist environment to survive. Once they get beneath or to the edge of a house, they build mud tubes, which they use to get into the structure. These tubes are about … Read Full Post »

There Are Termites in My Carpet: What Can I Do?

February 9, 2021. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Termite Control • Dallas-Fort Worth

Finding what seems to be termites in your carpet is a worrying experience for any homeowner, as termites can cause a lot of damage. Most people would expect to find these pests someplace where there’s wood, but termites in carpet? Though that’s not where most people might expect to see them, this is entirely possible.

If you find termites in your carpet, the first thing to do is to determine whether they actually are termites or if they are some other type of pest. Termites look a lot like large, winged ants, and many people can’t tell the two apart. There are some differences you can look for, though, to determine which type of pest you’re dealing with.

Termite Identification Tips

The first thing you should know if you are trying to determine if what you saw is a termite is that these creatures have bodies that are long and straight. Ants’ bodies, … Read Full Post »

Do Home Remedies for Termites Work?

December 16, 2020. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control, Termite Control • Orlando

cleaning products that some say can be used as home remedies for termites

If you spot termites in your home, what do you do? Across the internet, people have posted home remedies and do-it-yourself methods for tackling these pests. These techniques range from using vinegar to using the sun to using microscopic worms. However, not every method has been scientifically proven to work. Here’s a run-down of home remedies for termites to help separate fact from fiction.

Vinegar

One method you might have heard about is to spray pure vinegar or a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice onto the termites or possible infestation areas. Similarly, some articles mention spraying window cleaners containing ammonia on termites or on your walls. Liquids like vinegar or window cleaners can help kill termites if you spray it directly on them. But, you’ll want to keep in mind that subterranean termites that do the most damage live the majority of their lives underground.

That means that you are unlikely to … Read Full Post »

How To Spot Signs of Termites in Your House

November 23, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • Austin

a thumbnail from the video featured in this blog

The thought of having termites on your property is alarming. After all, these pests are extremely destructive. So, what are the signs of termites, and how can you catch these earlier, rather than later?

It starts with knowing the different kinds of termites you may find on your property. In the United States, there are three main varieties of termites: the subterranean termite, the drywood termite and the dampwood termite. It’s unlikely you’ll find dampwood termites on your property, as this species prefers wet, decaying wood and must maintain close contact with water. Typically, dampwood termites are found in subtropical woodlands or mangrove forests—probably not the environment homeowners in the United States have in their backyard.

If there are termites on your property, they are most likely either drywood termites or subterranean termites. The names of these termites give you some information about where you might find them. Drywood termites prefer to … Read Full Post »

How To Identify Termite Holes

November 13, 2020. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control, Termite Control • Houston

If you spot tiny holes in wood or drywall somewhere in your home or garage, you might suspect termites as the culprit. It’s important to learn how to identify termite holes so you can determine whether that is what you are seeing, and if so, decide what steps to take to remedy the problem. It’s also smart to learn how to identify termites themselves, as well as common signs of termite activity, so you’ll know as early as possible when a problem is developing. Termites are known to cause extensive, not to mention costly, structural damage to people’s homes—to the tune of over two billion dollars’ worth each year in the United States alone.

Termite holes, also known as termite exit holes or kick-out holes, are tiny openings created when termites tunnel through wood, mud or drywall to the outside. These holes are usually no more than an eighth of an … Read Full Post »

What Eats Termites? Controlling An Infestation

February 17, 2020. Posted by Vanessa Jenkins Green in Pest Control, Termite Control • Orlando

Many homeowners, especially those who spot signs of termite activity in their homes or elsewhere around their property, may wonder if there are any animals that eat termites. Do these pests have natural predators that can help keep termite populations low and protect homes from damage? Termites cause billions of dollars worth of damage to American homes and other structures each and every year, and once they have infested a home, they are notoriously difficult to get rid of.

Worse, termite colonies are typically hidden to the untrained eye, which means these insects can go about their destructive business for quite a long time before they’re detected. The varieties responsible for the vast majority of serious damage to our homes, subterranean termites, largely live out their lives in the dark, and their queens can lay many eggs in a single day. This means that termites’ natural reproductive and feeding habits can … Read Full Post »

Termite Frass And Other Signs Of An Infestation

February 13, 2020. Posted by Holt Myers in Pest Control, Termite Control • Corpus Christi

Termites are stealthy, destructive pests that cost homeowners in the U.S. billions of dollars in damage each year. Part of the reason these pests are capable of causing such extensive damage is that they tunnel underground and out of sight. However, there are a few signs that a homeowner can look out for that indicate the presence of termites, including termite frass, which is the technical term for this insect’s waste products.

Other common signs to look out for that can indicate that you have termites on your property include:

Flying swarmers
Piles of wings
Mud tubes
Cracking wood or wood surfaces that sounds hollow when you knock against them

Subterranean termites mix their feces with saliva and chewed wood to make their tunnels, called mud tubes. These passageways are most commonly found around the foundation of your home or along walls. About as thick as a pencil, mud tubes are typically brown, or are similar … Read Full Post »

Do Termites Have Wings? Identification Tips

January 27, 2020. Posted by Russell Jenkins in Pest Control, Termite Control • Dallas-Fort Worth

If you have spotted a swarm of small insects flying or crawling inside your home or elsewhere on your property, you might have instantly feared a pest infestation—and then asked yourself, “Do termites have wings?” The short answer here is yes: Certain types of termites in certain stages of their life cycle do have wings.

Not all termites have wings, however, and even those that do have wings don’t keep them forever. Furthermore, there are other winged insects, such as winged ants, that are commonly and easily mistaken for termites. A professional exterminator can determine exactly what type of insect is swarming in or around your home, whether it’s a termite, a winged ant or something else altogether. There are also certain signs and characteristics that homeowners can learn to look out for in order to make an initial diagnosis on their own.

Wanting to know how to identify termites and distinguish … Read Full Post »