HOW TO IDENTIFY TERMITES IN NJ, PA, MD, and DE
The weather is warming and many pest species are becoming more active causing homeowners to be on the look-out for pest infestations this spring. Some pests are very easy to spot, i.e. black ants marching through your kitchen, while others are much more difficult to spot and identify. Termites are a type of pest species that are often not identified until the damage has already been done. Termites are one of these difficult to identify pests. Eastern subterranean termites are a very social species that commonly live in very large colonies throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland and invade homes feeding on its structural wood.
Termites are responsible for billions of dollars worth of damages to properties all across the country. For this reason, the experts at Viking Pest Control want to help you avoid becoming a victim of a termite infestation this spring or any other time of the year. Our team of local termite extermination experts want to answer some of the more common questions about termites for you, like: what makes them so difficult to find, what their signs are, and why regular termite inspections and professional help is the only sure fire way to get rid of termites
What are signs that termites are on or near your property?
One of the main signs of termites are the mud tubes they create for travel. These tunnels are about the width of a pencil and located just underneath the surface of the ground and on exposed areas like foundation walls. They are what termites use to travel back and forth from their nest to food source in. Another very good indicator that a mature colony is near is to see or notice signs of a termite swarm. A termite swarm is when reproductive members of a termite colony fly from the nest to find a mate and start their own colony. During a swarm you may see termites flying around your property and after it is over you may see piles of wings underneath windows and doorways.
Unfortunately, signs of termite damage inside homes is generally only noticeable to a homeowner after the colony has been there for quite some time and is already mature. While termites do most of their damage on the inside of wood, if termites have been feeding for a while the outside of the wood will start to appear cracked and splintered. You may also begin noticing that ceilings, floors and doorways are becoming warped. You might also see these insect’s repair efforts. Termites will repair any holes that they make in the outside of the wood with a mud and saliva mixture.
Termites are difficult to spot because of how they live and travel. They live in underground nests, travel through mud tubes and feed and gather cellulose from the inside of structural wood. Also, termites are pretty small insects, and are a light cream in color making them difficult to spot. So even though termites really work 24/7/365 days of the year, they usually aren’t noticed until they start causing significant damage to your home.
How do you get rid of termites? That is a good question! Here’s the answer:
Termites are definitely not a pest where DIY pest control is ever recommended. In order to get rid of termites the entire colony and nest needs to be eliminated. The only safe and effective way to accomplish this is with professional help. The first step in the process is to have a termite inspection completed to determine if termites are in fact present. If termite activity is found, treatment will begin to eliminate the colony. Once the colony is eliminated, regular inspections should be completed to ensure that a new colony does not return to invade your property once again.
If you are concerned about termites living in or on your property or would just like to prevent a future problem don’t wait to call the pest professionals for help. The experts at Viking Pest Control would be happy to work with you and create a termite control plan and get rid of your unwanted visitors once and for all!
Call Viking at 800-618-2847 to learn more about termite pest control and extermination services, or get a fast, free quote online today!
