Termites

Out of all the wood destroying insects we see in our part of the country, termites by far cause the most damage. In 2005, the National Pest Management Association estimated that termites cause over $5 billion in damage each year. Additionally, about $2.2 billion is spent each year on control of termites. Our major concern is the subterranean termite. A colony of termites can consist of anywhere from 50,000 to over 1 million individuals. Unlike carpenter ants, that destroy the wood simply to make a place to nest, termites' diet consists of cellulose, so they actually eat the wood. A colony of 60,000 termites can eat 5 grams of wood a day, which means they could completely consume 2 1/3 linear feet of pine 2"X4" board in one year.

Termites need moisture in order to survive, so in order to leave the soil to enter your home, they build small tubes out of mud, which keeps them from drying out. This is one of the main signs of a termite infestation. If you find small mud tubes going from the ground, up your foundation, you are the victim of termites attacking your home.

There are two main treatments that could be used to protect your home from termite destruction. The first is a soil treatment in which we create a barrier along the foundation of your house. We do this by applying Termidor SC to the soil. We apply the material by slab injection and trenching & rodding. The material we use has what is known as the "transfer effect" and is a non repellant, which means the termites are unable to detect the product in the soil and cannot avoid it. When a termite comes in contact with the product, they do not die quickly, giving them time to pass it on to other termites it comes in contact with. Almost like passing a disease along to the rest of the colony. The second treatment option is to go on a termite-baiting program. Bait stations are placed in the soil around the perimeter of your home. There are two forms of cellulose inside of each bait station to lure the termites in to grab a bite to eat. These bait stations are monitored by a pest control specialist every other month. When the specialist finds signs of termite activity in a bait station , the cellulose is replaced with an active cellulose cartridge, which will kill termites that consume it. The product in the bait station also has the "transfer effect", which helps to wipe out the entire colony much faster.

Bait stations are placed in the soil around the perimeter of your home. There are two forms of cellulose inside of each bait station to lure the termites in to grab a bite to eat. These bait stations are monitored by a pest control specialist every other month. When the specialist finds signs of termite activity in a bait station , the cellulose is replaced with an active cellulose cartridge, which will kill termites that consume it. The product in the bait station also has the transfer affect, which helps to wipe out the colony much faster.