ENTFACT-604: Termite Control: Answers for Homeowners | Download PDF by Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist University of Kentucky College of Agriculture The University of Kentucky’s Entomology Department receives many calls about termites. Subterranean (soil-dwelling) termites are serious pests of buildings and typically warrant attention by knowledgeable. Termite control are often confusing, however, and homeowners often have many questions. a number of the foremost common inquiries are answered below.
NOTE: Answers provided during this publication are supported conditions in Kentucky, with relevance throughout much of the USA. Nonetheless, termites and coverings sometimes vary with locale, so you'll also want to consult your local cooperative extension about specific recommendations for your area. Q: Why worry about termites? A: Termites cause billions of dollars in damage annually within the U.S. They primarily prey on wood, but also damage paper, books, insulation, rat control in cairo and even swimming bath liners and filtration systems. Termites can injure living trees and shrubs, but more often are a secondary invader of woody plants already in decline. While termites may infest buildings at any time, they're particularly relevant when buying or selling a home since a termite inspection/infestation report is generally a condition of sale. Besides the monetary impact, thousands of winged termites emerging inside one's home are an emotionally trying experience — to not mention the thought of termites silently feasting on one's largest investment. Termites are capable of inflicting costly damage. Fig. 1: Termites are capable of inflicting costly damage. Q: Why are infestations often discovered within the spring? A: Spring typically is when large numbers of winged termites, referred to as "swarmers," emerge inside homes. In nature, termites swarm to disperse and begin new colonies. Triggered by warmer temperatures and rainfall, the winged termites emerge from the colony and fly into the air. The swarmers then drop to the bottom, shed their wings, pair with a mate, and plan to begin new colonies within the soil. Termite swarmers emerging inside a home are incapable of damaging wood and only live for a few day. Removal are often accomplished with a brush or vacuum. Winged termites emerging indoors are a telltale sign of infestation. integrated pest management in cairo Fig. 2: Winged termites emerging indoors are a telltale sign of infestation. Q: How will i do know if my house is infested? A: Discovering winged termites indoors nearly always indicates an infestation warranting treatment. Since the warmers are interested in light, they often are seen around windows and doors. People often confuse winged termites with ants, which tend to swarm at an equivalent time of year. Termites have straight antennae, a uniformly thickened waist, and wings of equal size. Conversely, ants have elbowed antennae, constricted waists, and fore wings that are longer than the hind wings. Termite swarms are often confused with winged ants. Fig. 3: Termite warmers are often confused with winged ants. Swarms of termites emerging from tree stumps, woodpiles, etc. call at the yard aren't necessarily cause for concern, and don't automatically mean the home is infested. On the opposite hand, if warmers are emerging next to the inspiration or from abutting porches or patios, there is a good chance the house is infested also. Other signs of infestation are earthen “mud” tubes extending over foundation walls, support piers, sill plates, floor joists, etc.The mud tubes are typically about the diameter of a pencil, but sometimes are often thicker. Termites construct the tubes for shelter as they travel between their underground colonies and therefore the structure. to assist determine if an infestation is active, the tubes could also be broken open and checked for the presence of small, creamy-white worker termites. If a tube happens to be vacant, it doesn't necessarily mean that the infestation is inactive; termites often abandon sections of tube while foraging elsewhere within the structure. Mud tunnels are another common indicator of termites. emergency pest control in Alexandria Fig. 4: Mud tunnels are another common indicator of termites. Termite colonies contain many ‘workers’ that consume wood and smaller numbers of ‘soldiers’ (center) with jaws modified for defense. Fig. 5: Termite colonies contain many ‘workers’ that consume wood and smaller numbers of ‘soldiers’ (center) with jaws modified for defense. Termite-damaged wood is hollowed out along the grain, with bits of dried mud or soil lining the feeding galleries. Wood damaged by moisture or other sorts of insects (e.g., carpenter ants) won't have this appearance. Occasionally termites also bore tiny holes through drywall or plaster, amid bits of soil round the margin. Rippled or sunken traces behind wall coverings also can be indicative of termites tunneling underneath. Termite-damaged wood has soil lining the feeding galleries. Fig. 6: Termite-damaged wood has soil lining the feeding galleries. Oftentimes there'll be no clear indication of infestation. Termites are cryptic creatures and infestations can go undetected for years, hidden behind walls, floor coverings, insulation, and other obstructions. Termite feeding and damage can even progress undetected in exposed wood because the outer surface usually remains intact. Confirmation of termites often requires the keen eye of knowledgeable -- however, even the foremost experienced inspector can overlook signs that are hidden. Termites are cryptic. This damage was discovered when a vacuum head broke through a baseboard. Fig. 7: Termites are cryptic. This damage was discovered when a vacuum head broke through a baseboard. Q: am i able to treat the house myself? A: It’s best to not for home infestations. Ridding a home of termites requires special skills. A knowledge of building construction is required to spot critical areas where termites are likely to enter. Many of those potential points of entry are hidden and difficult to access. Termite control also utilizes specialized equipment like powerful masonry drills, large-capacity spray tanks, and long metal rods for injecting soil. A typical treatment may involve many gallons of a liquid pesticide, referred to as a termiticide, injected into the bottom along the inspiration, beneath concrete slabs, and within foundation walls. In short, termite treatment may be a job for professionals. A possible exception could be if a mailbox post or other small wooden object not attached to the house was infested. "Do-it-yourself" products, sold to homeowners at retail stores or bought over the web, will seldom eradicate an existing termite problem. Control Q: How do i select a termite company? Why is there such variance in price? A: These are complex questions. the corporate should be licensed by the Department of Agriculture or agency liable for regulating termite control in your state. Membership in their state pest control association and/or National Pest Management Association suggest the corporate is a longtime firm with access to technical and training information needed to try to to the work correctly. like any service, references are very helpful. Consider calling a minimum of a couple of companies. Requesting inspections and estimates from quite one will help verify the existence of a termite infestation and permit you to match services. Companies offer differing types of treatment methods and warranties. If termites happen to return, most will retreat the affected area(s) at no additional charge. Some companies also will repair damage occurring after their treatment, although dating onset of termite damage may be a hard thing to work out. In some cases, no warranty are going to be offered if wells, drainage systems, sub-slab heat ducts, or inaccessible crawl spaces make it impossible to treat in accordance with industry standards. Take some time when selecting a corporation. Termites damage wood slowly; the quantity of injury caused by taking a further day, week, or month to form an informed decision generally is inconsequential. Avoid firms that attempt to pressure you into signing a contract immediately with specials or scare tactics. the general quality of the work depends less on the sales person than the individual who ultimately does the work. a secure and effective termite treatment requires an experienced technician, not someone hired a couple of weeks ago. TERMITE DAMAGE COSTS ABOUT $5 BILLION EVERY YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES1 Q: Which treatment method is most effective? A: There are two general categories of termite treatment -- liquids and baits. Liquid termiticides are around for several decades. Their purpose is to supply a long-lasting “barrier” within the soil that forestalls termites from entering and infesting buildings. In most cases, termites already within the building die out also, since they can't return to the soil for supplemental moisture. Most former liquid termiticides were repellent instead of lethal to termites foraging within the soil. Current products like Termidor® /Taurus® (fipronil), Premise® (imidacloprid), and Altriset® (chlorantraniliprole), are non-repellent and termites tunneling into treated areas are killed. Such products are usually more reliable controlling infestations within the first attempt. liquid application (left), baiting (right) Fig. 8: Two treatment options for termites: liquid application (left), baiting (right) The other treatment category is baiting. Termite baits contains cellulose-based food combined with a slow-acting substance lethal to termites. The baits are installed below ground call at the yard in cylindrical plastic stations. Other sorts of bait stations are sometimes additionally installed indoors over active mud tubes. Foraging termites eat the bait and share it with their nest mates, leading to a gradual decline in termite numbers. On some properties, baits may constitute the sole sort of treatment; on others, they'll be supplemented with liquid applications to areas where termites are observed. Regardless of which approach is employed, it is vital to possess an experienced technician, backed by a reliable pest control firm. Q: Does the entire house need treatment, or can they only treat where they see termites? A: Subterranean termite colonies may contain many thousands of people foraging in numerous directions. For this reason, localized "spot" treatments are usually a big gamble except in cases of warranty-related retreatment. Most reputable pest control firms won't warrant spot treatments, since it's likely that termites will eventually find other points of entry into the building. Many companies do offer what are termed "perimeter" applications, employing a liquid product like Termidor®. Typically, this involves treatment round the entire exterior of the house, and spot treating any infested or high-risk interior areas. thanks to the reliability of such treatments, most companies also offer a guaranty within the event termites return. Such warranties usually stipulate that the corporate will return and retreat the affected area(s) at no additional charge provided the annual renewal is maintained. it's a touch of a big gamble to get any termite treatment without an ongoing service agreement. Q: How long will the treatment last? A: All liquid termiticides are alleged to control termites for a minimum of five years when applied consistent with label directions. The duration of control on any given home will depend upon several factors, including: which termiticide product was used, thoroughness of application, area of the country, local environmental conditions, and density of termites on the property. If termites swarm and still infest the structure the year following treatment, it's not from degradation of the termiticide— but rather, because the pests have found an untreated gap within the chemical barrier. Q: Will the chemicals harm my family or pets? A: Termiticides are tested extensively for adverse effects on health. Before a product are often used, numerous studies are conducted by the manufacturer and independently evaluated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. supported current knowledge, registered termiticides pose no significant hazard to humans, pets, or the environment when applied consistent with label directions. Despite the negligible health risk from a properly performed termite treatment, those with lingering concerns should consult their physician. Most of the newer liquid products have essentially no odor. people that remain apprehensive might want to think about having their home treated with baits.
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