Today I tagged along with a technician who installed the Sentricon Termite Systems we use to monitor and treat termites. Check out the album on our Facebook for all of the pictures!
If you have a termite problem and would like to have JP McHale talk to you about your customized termite control plan, give us a call! Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook for an inspection!
Aol.com published a great article about how to tell if termites are infesting in your home. To start off, termites are small insects that eat materials containing cellulose such as wood, wallpaper, books, and sometimes cardboard boxes. Termites look like small, white ants that sometimes have wings. Termites and ants sometimes get confused with one another but termites will shed their wings once they find a colony, unlike ants. Here are some key indicators to know if you have a termite infestation:
Mud tunnels. Termites like to travel through tunnels to get back and forth from their food source. These mud tunnels will appear as a line of sawdust or sand on the wall. Usually termites eat wood close to the ground.
Mud build-up. Usually found on the outside of homes, mud build up is another indicator.
Softened wood. If you see cracks or crevasses in the wood that might me an indicator. Also, in you have wood floors and begin to see they are sinking or getting hollow, there is a chance termites might be living under the floor. You can check if the wood is hollowing by knocking on it.
Termites are a very big issue and you should take care of the issue right when you discover it. Termites cause billions of damage to home each year, so make sure you contact a pest control company at the first sight. JP McHale is a Westchester Pest Control company. We would love to help you with your pest or lawn problem! Contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, live chat, twitter, or facebook.
Here is a great article by Veronica Davis about the differences between Flying Ants and Termites.
Veronica Davis is a freelance copywriter for businesses online. She works extensively with a host of real estate related entities and Realtors, helping them with their website content, blogs, social media and marketing. She currently writes for a Long Beach pest control company and contributes to several sites. She has worked with a large range of clients over the years, from helping small site owners establish a profitable presence online to blogging for Planet Green.
Is it Flying Ants or Termites?
Getting rid of pests in and around your home can sometimes be quite the headache. Flying ants and termites can be difficult to differentiate. If you think you have termites or flying ants, here are some ways that you can make sure you know which of the two are actually invading your property.
Body Shape
If it’s termites that are giving you problems, they will have a body that seems to be one piece or segment. You won’t really be able to tell any hourglass shape or “waist” on a termite. Flying ants on the other hand, will have different segments that make up their body. You can clearly see where the shape curves in, forming a “waist”.
Wings
Both termites and flying ants have two sets of wings. If you look closer though, you will see that either all the wings are the same size or that one pair is larger than the other. Flying ants will have one pair of wings that is larger than the other and their wings are pretty much clear. The two sets of wings in termites are both the same size and they’re larger to closer match their body size. Their wings have more of a milky appearance and you will probably notice a lot of veins.
Antennae Differences
You can also tell if it’s flying ants or termites by looking at their antennas. Flying ants will have antennas that are bent in kind of an “L” shape. A termite’s antennae will poke straight out, with no curves or bends.
These are some of the differences that will help you determine just what kind of pest you’re dealing with. But these are pretty small details. So a magnifying glass will definitely come in handy. If not possible, then you can also take a photo and enlarge it. The last thing you can do is if you think you have termites, look for their pathway tubes. Look in your basement or down in any crawl space to look for brown/tab mud tubes. These are created by the termites for easy access to food from their nesting areas.
This Youtube video shows a colony of termites eating through a wall. The guy talking is a pest management professional and gives good information on the termites. Take a look:
Notes to pick up on:
A big colony can tunnel through a foot a day
Termites are aggressive, they rival with carpenter ants
Termites are most active at night
Termites are blind
The subterranean termites are what we have in the Northeast
Termites cause over 2 Billion dollars of damage a year
Termites are small insects that like to eat wood. The most commonly species seen in the tri-state area is the Eastern Subterranean termite. Termites are social insects that live in colonies and usually nest around wood. Termites are about 3/8th of an inch with a dark brown or black body. They have a set of long wings on the top of their body. They can also appear as a yellowish color with a brown head, no wings, and 6 legs. Termites eat material that contains cellulose, such as wood, roots, plant debris, paper or cardboard. Termites can gain entrance into a structure through any part of the wood frame in contact with the ground, through openings in the foundation around pipes and conduits or through cracks in the foundation. Termites can enter through cracks that are no wider than 1/64 of an inch. Subterranean termites require moisture to survive. They will create mud tubes to obtain access to a structure that is above ground. These tubes are created from soil cemented with secretions and fecal material. The tubes are to protect the termites from exposure to sunlight or dry conditions. Termites are able to survive in a structure without contact to the ground if there is a sufficient moisture source.
How do they affect me?
Termites can destroy a wood home. They travel in colonies containing with thousands and thousands of workers. Sixty thousand workers can eat up to 5 grams of wood a day! There could be multiple colonies around one building, so it is imperative you treat them immediately. Termites cause over 2 billion dollars in property damage every year!
What can I do to prevent/control them?
There is not much people can do to prevent termites from infesting a home. If you do see activity of termites around your home contact a pest control company. Here at JP McHale we treat for termites with the latest and most effect ways. Read more about termites in our termite blog. If you have a termite problem feel free to contact us by phone 800-479-2284, email, twitter, facebook, or live chat.
An article recently published in Boston Real Estate Now explains how since the warm weather is coming, home owners can expect to see termites and carpenter ants to be found in their homes. Some people might get confused on which pest is which, but if you know what each looks like, you will be able to identify them.
Left: Eastern Subterranean Termites, Right: Carpenter Ant
Termites have a 3/8″ dark brown body and wings. The wings will range from transparent to milky white. Termites actually eat wood unlike carpenter ants that just hollow out wood. Carpenter ants range from 1/4″ to 3/8″. These ants are most commonly found in black. Both of these pests like to nest in damp wood. To tell if the termites or ants are affecting your house without actually seeing the pests, look around the base of your house for saw dust. If your find any signs of either of these pests make sure your seek pest control experts immediately. Little pests in large group can cause a sufficient amount of damage. If you have an ant or termite problem, contact us by phone 800-479-2284, website, email, facebook, twitter, or live chat.
A local Fox news station, based in Milwaukee, WI, posted a segment on how the rainy May weather brings in unwanted Carpenter ants. The warm weather paired with rain triggers Carpenter ants to be active and start hollowing out wood. During the night are when most ants are active, but you will still see some during the day. Usually if you see one walking around in your house, there most likely is a colony somewhere else. Ants are known to travel up to 300 ft. away from their nest to find food, so if you see an ant walking around there are many possibilities where the nest is stationed. Carpenter ants usually come in through cracks in windows and doors, and nest around where water is near. Make sure none of your appliances (tubs, sinks, and dishwashers) are leaking and seal all doors and windows to prevent ants from nesting in your home. If it is rainy one day, the following few days are when you will find most Carpenter ants walking around. Surprisingly, Carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they hollow into the wet wood to nest and lay eggs. Be alarmed, especially in the rainy seasons, for Carpenter ants to be active. If you see them in your house make sure you take action because even though they are small, they can do major damage to your home. If you see Carpenter ants in or around your house, notify JP McHale Pest Management for ways to prevent Carpenter Ants or contact us at our phone 800-479-2284, email, twitter, live chat, facebook, or website. Make sure to remember an umbrella!
