Termites are as small as ants, but when they work together, they’re responsible for over $1 billion in structural damage each year in the United States alone. Not only do these pests cause cosmetic damage to your home’s interior, but they also feast on its structure. Termites love to dine on floor joints, support beams, and ceiling joints. Though your home’s structure is nourishing for termites, the damage termites leave your home with isn’t healthy.
Because termites do all their dirty work in the dark, it’s difficult to stop them in their tracks. Keep reading to find out how you can remove termites from your home.
Identifying Termites
Termites and flying ants look nearly identical, and without close inspection, you might mix the two up. To effectively treat your home’s infestation, you must identify which pest you’re dealing with because a poison that debilitates flying ants won’t have the same effect on termites. Some differences between ants and termites are:
Termites:
- Have a ribbed abdomen that’s continuous with no visible waist
- Have four vein-filled wings, which are equal in length and twice the length of their abdomen
- Antennas point straight and are short.
- Don’t have eyes.
Ants:
- Have a clearly defined thorax and a constricted abdomen
- Also, have four wings, but their front pair of wings are larger than their rear pair
- Antennas are slanted
As you can see, there are some differences between ants and termites; however, spotting termites is challenging. A better way to identify termites is to inspect your home’s damage. Termites are infamous for building mud tubes, which are underground mud structures that connect the ground to your house, garage, or other wooden structure.
Signs of Termite Infestation
You’ll know termites have invited themselves into your home if you begin to notice discarded termite wings scattered around. Discarded wings are a significant sign of termite invasion, as female termites shed their wings once they find the perfect place to build a new colony. Routinely inspect your wood structures for signs of decay. Solid beams that sound hollow are another indicator of termite infestation. Don’t forget to examine the fuse boxes outside of your home, as termite populations might be hiding there.
Removing Termites
You shouldn’t attempt DIY termite removal, even if you’re only dealing with a small colony; leave termite removal to the professionals. A professional will treat the soil around your house with an insecticide that works exclusively on termites. An exterminator will also treat your wood directly if termites are populating inside your wooden structures.
Taking preventative measures against a termite invasion will save you money in the long run. Colonies thrive in a moist atmosphere, so eliminate any damp areas in your home before they become a problem.
Stop letting termites live in your home rent-free. If you suspect you have a termite invasion, call All Green Pest Control today. Our termite exterminators will handle those pesky termites for you.