When it comes to termites, it is not a question of if you get them, it’s when. The presence of termites, particularly in the spring, often indicates that a colony is well established in the near vicinity. This means that once termites are seen, it’s time to take action to protect your structure.
Did you know?
- Termites can cause significant structural damage to homes and business with a single colony consuming up to a pound (half a kilo) of wood each day.
- According to the National Pest Management Association, over 5 billion dollars in damages are attributed to termite infestation in the U.S alone each year, and these damages are typically not covered by insurance companies.
- Colony queens can live up to 25 years and are capable of laying an egg every 15 seconds.
- There are over 40 species of termites in the United States alone.
- Termites have been known to chew through lead, mortar, plaster and even asphalt when foraging for food.
- A peer-reviewed study published by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America asserts that termites use frequencies to determine the size of a block of wood and whether that wood is already an established food source for termites. This finding led to a study that determined that termites forage faster while listening to rock n’ roll or metal music!
How you can prevent a Termite Infestation:
- Call our office to schedule your FREE inspection, the best way to determine the presence of termites is through a professional home inspection.
- Avoid letting moisture accumulate near the foundation of your property
- Address excess humidity problems in crawl space areas
- Do not store firewood and other wood products or planters near the foundation of your home.
- Know what to look for:
- Swarming during the day or early evening, often after rainfall.
- Shelter tubes appearing on or around the foundation.
- Dead termites or termite wings on window sills or along walls.
- Termites typically measure between 1/4 and 1/2 of an inch long with straight antennae. Colors range from white to light brown in color. Worker termites often appear lighter, while swarming termites are darker.
How can Be Bug Free Services help to protect your home?
- Following an inspection BBF Services will formulate a planned approach specific to your property needs.
- Trelona Advance Termite Baiting System is our treatment of choice! Trelona ATBS provides a preventative and curative control program. These stations can also be used in conjunction with a partial or full liquid treatment. The stations are installed in the ground around the perimeter of your structure and placed 15 feet apart. In areas where a concrete slab/driveway or patio are present we will drill in to inject termiticide into the ground below. Termites are attracted to a food source in the station, feed and then travel back to the colony. They share that bait with other nestmates, return to the tunnels which reinforces the pheromone trail and provides a pathway for other termites to feed on that same bait. As the feeding continues and more termites are affected the termite colony starts to die and is eliminated. Trelona is the baiting system we stand by because its superior design attracts termites faster, provides protection for a full year, sits at a low profile so there is no interference with foot traffic or lawn mowers, and the quik-lock cap keeps it tamper proof for your pets and children.
- In addition to protecting the perimeter with Trelona stations, we also treat the interior plumbing with Termidor HE foam to keep the termites from coming inside the plumbing lines.
- For more information about how Trelona works, download the brochure here.