Your home is one of the largest investments that you’ll make in your entire lifetime. Protecting it from outside forces that could damage or destroy it is very important. One of those forces is pests, including termites. These wood-destroying insects can get into your home and feed on wood and other cellulose materials. Therefore, getting them under control is important. A good Tulsa Pest Control company can help you with that.
But let’s take a good look at termites and how they function. Termites are colony-forming insects, meaning they are found in large groups and divide their work among different castes. Workers do many of the jobs in the colony. They tend to the young, forage for food, maintain the nest, and build and repair mud tubes. Depending on the termite species, workers can be either male or female.
Next, we have the soldiers. Their task is protecting the colony. Soldiers have enlarged heads and jaws or other defensive adaptations, depending on the species, and they defend openings and damaged areas when the colony is threatened.
Lastly, we have the reproductive caste. This includes the queen and king. The queen lays eggs that maintain and grow the colony. Colonies also produce winged reproductive termites called swarmers. During favorable conditions, swarmers leave established colonies, pair up, shed their wings, and can begin new colonies. Oklahoma State University Extension explains termite castes, swarming, colony development, and signs of termite activity.
Protecting your home from termites is highly necessary. Two common approaches are liquid soil treatments and termite bait station systems.
With a liquid termite treatment, the soil around parts of the structure is treated according to the product label, often using trenching and, where necessary, other application methods. This creates a treated zone in the soil that termites encounter as they travel between the ground and the structure. Some modern non-repellent termiticides can also be transferred among termites after exposure.
A termite bait station system is another way to deal with termites. Bait stations are placed around the structure where foraging termites can find them. Termites feed on the bait and share it within the colony, allowing the active ingredient to affect more termites over time. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency describes liquid soil treatments, termite baits, and other termite-control approaches.
If you think you’re having a problem with termites or any other pest, then it’s time to get in touch with a good Tulsa Pest Control company. TermMax Pest Control is the best when it comes to dealing with termites or other pest problems. If you contact us today, we can come out and give you a free estimate. Contact us right away.
