If you believe you’re having an issue with termites or any other pests, it’s time to call your Broken Arrow exterminator in to help. In the winter months, we see a definite drop in the number of pests that we have to deal with here at TermMax Pest Control. Many people believe that there are no pests that they have to be concerned about during the winter months. This could not be further from the truth. One of those pests that is very prolific during the winter months are termites. These insects will systematically tear down your home if you let them. In this article, let’s take a look at termites, their lifecycle, and how you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can deal with them.
TERMITE TYPES AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
In Oklahoma, we have all three of the termite types. We have dry wood termites, wet wood termites, and subterranean termites. But in the Tulsa area, where we live and most of Oklahoma, the predominant termite is the eastern subterranean termite. This termite must stay underground in order to survive. Subterranean termites are very susceptible to drying out in the outside air. In order to survive, they must stay underground where the air is much more humid. If termites of this persuasion decide to forge for food above ground, they must build mud tubes up the side of an object in order to travel up it. These muds tubes can be found on the side of your buildings, or on the side of trees, fences, or other objects.
Once they have found food and build mud tubes up the side of an object, the termites will begin to eat away at the floor of the mud tube, which is the wood that they were searching for. These paths will get deeper and deeper until they damage the structural integrity of the wood. Because of this, it’s important that you take care of termites as soon as you think if you have an issue. It is possible the termites can even come up inside a wall where they can’t be seen.
Termites love eating the gypsum board that makes up the drywall inside. These boards are covered in paper. This paper is very delectable for the subterranean termite. We often see where the termites have bored through the wall until the paper on the other side is weak. This is another telltale sign that you may have a problem with termites, if you have weak drywall in your home. Contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help.
TERMITE SIGNS AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
In addition to mud tubes and holes in your drywall, termites can be detected in the spring months when Swarmers appear. Termites colonies grow until their numbers are in the millions. With such high populations, the only way for a colony to grow is to create a new colony. So in order to do this, colonies will produce aelates, or Swarmers. These are winged termites that are much more hardy then the average termite. In the month of April and May, the workers will build special tubes that will be opened up into the outside air. The Swarmers will go up these tubes and fly out into the night air. Here, they will swarm in large groups searching for a mate.
Often predators will make a meal of a swarm of termites. So the survival rate for these termites is very low. But if a swarmer meet up male and female, then they will mate in mid air and then find a location to start a new colony. Once they land, they will both lose their wings and dig the beginnings of the colony. The first large room that they make is called the royal chamber. Here the new king and queen will begin their colony. The queen will start to lay eggs as the male will work now as a worker. He will forage for food and tend to the queen and eggs until the first batch of eggs hatch, and they mature into adulthood. Once the first eggs mature to adulthood, they will become the new workers and the king will die off.
TERMITE LIFECYCLE AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Termites go through an incomplete metamorphosis. This means that they will start as an egg, and then hatch as a nymph. A nymph is a smaller version of the adult termite. As this nymph grows, it will outgrow its exoskeleton. Once this happens, the termite will need to molt or shed the exoskeleton, revealing a new exoskeleton underneath. This process is much like snakes, molting, or shedding its skin. Once the nymph has grown to complete adulthood, it will take its place in the colony, and begin to do the work that it is required to do.
There are two main ways that we deal with termite infestation‘s in Oklahoma. The first is a liquid treatment. This consists of digging a trench around the building and filling it with a pesticide that drains down through the dirt. Then the trench is refilled with treated dirt. This creates a barrier anywhere from 4 to 10 feet deep all the way around the building. Anywhere that there’s cement up against the building and no trench can be dug, holes will be drilled in the cement and this pesticide will be pumped underneath the cement slab. This will also help in creating a barrier. Contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for an appointment.
TERMITE TREATMENT AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
The second way that we treat for termites by using termite bait stations. These stations are buried in the ground, creating a barrier all the way around your home. Termites will find the bait stations and bring the bait back to the nest. This will wipe out the colony at its source.
If you’re having issues with termites or any other pests, then it’s time to call in a professional Broken Arrow exterminator. Here at TermMax Pest Control, we are the best in the business when it comes to dealing with termites or any other pests. We service the greater Tulsa area including Owasso, Turley, Jenks, Bixby, Broken Arrow, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, Sand Springs, Prattville, Bixby and much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!