Everything You Need To Know About

Subterranean

TERMITES

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Subterranean termites are commonly listed as one of the most destructive insect pests throughout the United States. Billions of dollars of damage is caused by these insects every single year. They

may be targeting your home because it has exactly what they want – wood. While these insects are important within nature, because they break down cellulose, they can cause signif-icant problems within the home. Any wooden element including siding and trim can be destroyed because of what subterranean termites are capable of doing.

Subterranean termites are considered as dangerous as they are because they work nonstop. Unlike other insects that work in cycles, this is not true of the

subterranean termite. It uses its razor sharp jaws to eat through wood, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During the spring months, they swarm and new colonies can be created – even within a single home.

Infestations can take hold quickly because of their life cycles. Throughout the country, you need to be aware of what subterranean termites are capable of, how to locate them, and what kind of damage they can cause. Preventative measures are available so that you understand how to prevent them from destroying your home.

The last thing you want is to encounter subterranean termites in or around your home because they can be quite destructive.

Within this eBook, you will learn about:

• Identifying subterranean termites

• The damage they can do

• How to compare the damage to carpenter ants

• How to treat the problem

• How to prevent future problems

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IdentIfyIng SuBterranean termIteS

There are several species of subterranean termites within the United States. They are found in virtually every state, with the exception of Alaska. The two most common types that you will find include Retic-ulitermes termites and Formosan termites.

Each of these is characterized slightly differently and you will want to understand what each one looks like so that you know how to approach it.

The Reticulitermes termites are approximately 1/4” inch to 3/8” inch long, and their bodies can be anywhere from coal block to a yellow brown. Their wings can be smoky gray, pale gray or even brown. Vein patterns will be used by professionals to identify them properly. The reproductive males and females may or may not have wings. The secondary and tertiary ones will not have wings. The secondary and tertiary reproductives will have a cream-colored body and their main purpose is to back up the primary queen if she is injured or dies.

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The Formosan termites are similar in color and design, though the soldiers may also have a brownish head along with strong mandibles. Considering that the two look very close to each other, it will usually require a professional to be able to tell the difference between the two. This has to do with the way that they are so closely related as well is because there are swarmers, workers, and soldiers.

It is also important to be able to tell the difference between a termite and a carpenter ant. They will often swarm at the same time of the year, but you will need to treat them very differently if you have an infesta-tion. One of the easiest ways to tell them apart is that termites will have an oval shaped body as opposed to being narrow in the middle. There is no elbow on the antennae

and the wings can feature a variety of small veins, unlike that of carpenter ants.

Understanding the biology of subterranean termites is of the utmost importance, so that you know what kind of numbers, you can expect in and around your home. After approximately 2 years, a colony is considered mature and swarming will usually begin as early as January or February. Each species has its own list of requirements in terms of environmental factors, including light and moisture, which will determine when the swarm actually emerges.

termite features:

• 1/4” - 3/8” long bodies

• Color Varies from Black to Yellow Brown

• Wings Colors Range From Smoky Gray, Pale Gray & Brown

• May Not Have Wings

• Strong Mandibles

• Oval Shaped Body

• May Have A Vein Pattern On Wings

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A few hundred eggs will be deposited within the first year of a colony being established. As the queen grows in size, she will be able to lay more eggs. The colony is not considered stabilize until she reaches her egg production maximum. When the queen eventually dies, there is another reproductive that will take over her duties. Unlike carpenter ants, there is generally only one queen within a colony.

Nutrition is obtained from wood, as well as other materials that contain cellulose. Subterranean termites will generally be attracted to the wood within your home. They may also seek cotton, burlap, paper, and other items that contain cellulose.

While subterranean termites look for wood, they are also attracted to wood decaying fungus. It sends off a certain odor that attracts them and the wood is softer, making it easier to penetrate. The fungus can also provide nitrogen, which is a primary ingredient within the termite diet. If you have defective plumbing, a leaky roof, and air-conditioning condenser, or even poorly maintained gutters, termites are going to be attracted because of the moisture.

Understanding subterranean termites, the species, what they look like, their breeding habits, and what they eat, will make it easier to understand the problem – and be able to detect when you have an infestation.

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the damage that Can Be CauSed

Subterranean termites did not get the reputation for being the most destructive insect by accident. They have hard jaws that work in a saw-like motion that can bite off small pieces of wood. Over time, termites can create a significant amount of damage – and even collapse an entire building. Termite infestations are no laughing matter, and you will need to understand that the damage so that you know when it’s time to contact a pest-control professional.

Termites are a necessary part of the ecosystem. When dead trees are cleared out for housing communities, the termites turned to the wooden structures as food. They enter the buildings easily because the wood is in direct contact with the soil. This means that they can be eating parts of the flooring, baseboards, and even the joists and beams that are in the ground. Virtually anything that contains cellu-lose is free game for the subterranean termites.

Anywhere that would come than the contact with the soil, there is the possibility for termite entry. Some of the most popular areas of a home that will be eaten included the foundation, siding, porch/deck and fencing.

While many new housing communities will treat for termites (termite pretreat) ahead of time and take necessary precautions to prevent infestations, there are plenty of older homes that do not have these controls – and these are the homes that are seeing a significant amount of termite damage. There are all sorts of signs to show that there is an infestation and people need to be aware of it. Whether you see damaged wood, mud tubes, or the termites themselves, it is likely a sign that there is damage to your home.

Subterranean termites are smart and will enter a structure in any way possible. This includes cracks, expansion joints, penetration within

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plumbing, and anywhere else. Once they are inside of a building, mud tubes can be established in order to help them scale a building. It is not uncommon for mud tubes to go up 15’ or 20’ feet. It was once reported that subterranean termites built a mud tube up the length of a flagpole in order to get to the wooden knob at the very top.

If you have ever had mold or mildew damage, you know that it can be expensive to repair your home. Chunks of wood have to be removed and new wood has to be installed in order to maintain the structural integrity of the building. The same is true of a termite infes-tation. When there are subterranean termites colonized within your home, there are already chunks of wood missing somewhere within the structure of your home. In order to maintain the best possible structure, wood is going to have to be reinforced – and some may even have to be removed.

Considering that termites focus on moisture, the goal is to avoid having any kind of moisture or fungus within your home.

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ComparIng damage to Carpenter antS

Many people are confused as to carpenter ants versus subterranean termites. The two insects are very different from each other and you will

not be able to treat your home properly until you identify the pest that is causing the damage. While both are going to create a significant amount of damage to wood, one eats the wood, while the other does not.

Carpenter ants are going to tunnel through the wood, and leave the wood shavings behind. Subterranean termites are going to tunnel through the wood, and eat the wood as they go along – which leaves no trace of wood shavings. The termites do not usually

clean up the wood as well as carpenter ants, so the damaged wood is going to be visibly rough. There may also be mud tubes and evidence of swarming as well.

Generally, people do not see carpenter ants, and instead they see the damage. With subterranean termites, there may be other signs going on in and around the home. This includes finding termite wings along the windowsills, swarming reproductives near indoor lights, and even mud shelter tubes within crawl spaces on the foundation of your home. If you want to be able to site subterranean termites quickly, it is a good idea to keep vegetation away from your house. This ensures that you are able to spot mud tubes quickly so that you can determine whether you have an infestation or not.

Signs of termites:

• Finding Termite Wings

• Swarming Near Indoor Lights

• Mud Shelter Tubes

• Seeing Physical Damage

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hoW to treat termIte proBlemS

The moment you notice that you have an issue with termites, whether it be wood damage, a visual of the subterranean termites, seeing a mud tube, or anything else, you will want to contact a pest-con-trol professional. This is to help with the identification of the termite and to estab-lish the most effective form of treatment.

There are multiple ways to treat termites so that the problem is eliminated in its entirety. The treatment that is actually selected will depend upon the level of infestation as well as the amount of damage that has already been created. There are over-the-counter products that you can purchase, but if you are unsure of the problem or how to use the product appropriately, it is simply easier to let a professional company come in and take care of the problem.

New technology is being used to help inspectors from pest control companies find the infestation. This includes the use of infrared cameras in addition to a screwdriver (to break open the mud tunnels) as well as a standard flashlight. Wood will be explored in various areas of the home as well to see if there is any blistering or buckling as a result of the termites eating so much of the cellulose-filled wood. Three primary treatments are used to control subterra-nean termites

Liquid repeLLent termiticide

This product will discourage termites from eating the wood of a particular structure. The repellent chemical prevents the termites from gaining access. One of the limitations with this method is that even if 1/64” is missed, (due to chemical deflection under slab or in block wall) the termites can still find their way into the structure. Without being able to see under slabs or in foundational walls, no one can ensure 100% complete and total coverage with the repellent.

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Liquid non-repeLLent termiticide

This product is used to reduce the population of termites. They won’t be discouraged and they can live up to 90 days after the product has been applied to ensure that they share the chemical with the rest of the colony.

Bait systems

Bait systems are produced by various brands and are both easy to use and maintain. They feed on the bait and then bring the “food” back to the entire colony. It can reduce the popula-tion and eventually kill the entire colony.

Depending upon the level of infestation, multiple products may be used in order to dwindle the colony quickly.

There are options that involve digging trenches around the infested structure as well as foaming the product into the walls. If there is a cement foundation, a professional may ask your permission to drill holes so that the termiticide can be injected into it. Some products have more chemicals than others, so what is used around your home needs to be a personal preference - and it’s a conversation to have with the pest control company.

Various treatments can be used to treat a current infestation and work as maintenance in the future. Newer homes are also using systems that are built into the walls that involve a semi-annual treatment. It is not required to enter the home with these as the application is handled outside and then penetrates through to the rest of the home.

If you have had termite problems in the past, you may want to look at new construction that pays special attention to termite control.

There are ways to treat termites, so it’s not something that you simply have to deal with. Whether it’s been a problem that you have tried to tackle on your own or you have just noticed a problem, you want to get on the phone and call a pest company to come out and inspect your home.

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hoW to prevent future proBlemS

You want to make sure that you do all that you can to prevent future problem with subterranean termites. While you may have already called a professional in to treat for a current problem, you want to take action so that you do not experience an infestation in the future. The goal in prevention is to deny termites with access to wood, shelter, and moisture.

1. Take advantage of remedial grading, so that the soil grade slopes away from your home. If you are in the planning stages of constructing a home, this needs to be considered from day one.

2. Eliminate as many would to soil contacts as possible so that the termites cannot dig directly from the soil into the wood. It is better to play structures, such as trellises and stair casings, on masonry blocks first.

3. Remove all of the soil filled planter boxes from the porch. Build the boxes so the termites cannot enter into the soil. Any type of planter box should be at least 6 inches below a wooden structure. Any time wood is exposed to rain, it should be pressure-treated and preservative should be used in order to prevent the fungus that attracts termites in the first place.

4. Termite proofing is also possible in the form of stainless steel mesh that has been treated with a termiticide. This will ensure that they are unable to pass through pipes, cracks, or any other material in order to access the wood of your home.

By following some tips and knowing how to identify subterranean termites, you can avoid a significant amount of damage within your home. Should you find a problem, it is always important to call a professional pest control company so that your home is treated quickly and effectively.

PREVENTING BED BUGS1. Store Suitcase In Trash Bag2. Vacuum Suitcase3. No Second-Hand Furniture4. Inspect Pets

5. Act Quickly

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