Termite problems are a problem that you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can solve if you get in contact with him. Termites are a wood destroying insect that feeds upon the wood that we create our homes in business out of. These insects do millions of dollars of damage every year to homes across America. Damage that is done can cause structural problems in your home and many different issues. Keeping them out of your largest investment is one of the most important things you’ll do for your financial life. So in this article, let us take a good hard look at termites, their lifecycle, and what you and your Broken Arrow exterminator can do to protect your home from these invading insects.
COLONY LIFE AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Termites are eusocial insects. That means that they live in a colony, and that they separate their work out by caste system. At the top of the pyramid is the reproductive caste. This caste includes the queen, who is tasked with laying all the eggs for the colony. Many of these colonies have populations that number into the millions and she has to lay enough eggs to maintain that number. In addition, we also have the secondary reproductive such a swarmers. These insects are tasked with creating new colonies.
Next, we have the soldier termites. These insects have larger heads and powerful mandibles. If the termite colony has been invaded, these insects come to life and head straight into the fight. Their large heads block off the tunnels inside the colony, and as they fight, the workers will fill in the tunnel behind them. They will give their life for the colony. And lastly, the workers are adolescents and adult sterile female termites that are tasked with doing all the menial jobs of the colony. They will forage for food, bring food back, take out the trash, tend to the young and 1 million different other things that are necessary to keep the colony moving. Contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help with termites.
TERMITE SIGNS AND BROKEN ARROW EXTERMINATOR
Termites are very susceptible to drying out. They have to be in contact with humid air in order to keep an environment that’s suitable for them to survive. The eastern subterranean termite is the most commonly found termite here in northeastern Oklahoma. This termite stays underground in order to stay in contact with this high humidity air. When the worker termites need to go above ground to forage for food, they will build mud tubes up the side of structures and trees in order to do this. This carries the humid air up with them as they go. Often you will see these mud tubes working their way up the side of your foundation or other part of your building. This is a telltale sign that you’ve got termites attacking your home or business.
Sometimes those mud tubes will come up inside a wall. Cracks in the foundation or other seams can be worked through by these tiny insects. If they come up inside the walls, it is impossible to detect them unless you do destroy the wall in order to get to them. But as these mud tubes come up, they will start to feed on the drywall itself.
The paper and the gypsum that its made out of is full of the cellulose that they enjoy eating. As they feed on this, the drywall will begin to get thin until it’s easily pushed against and broken through. Sometimes the termite mud tubes will break through a little bit of the Drywall and have to re-fill in a hole with some of the dirt. Weak spots in the drywall or any of the small dots of mud are telltale signs that you’ve got a problem with termites. Contact your Broken Arrow exterminator for help with these insects.
TERMITE SWARMERS
When colony has gotten to the stage of which it is ready to reproduce itself as a colony, then these swarming termites will suddenly move to action. These termites are a heartier termite that also have wings. They can last a long time out in the dry air without being bothered by it. Once a year in the late spring, these insects will leave the colony in search of a mate. They will find a large swarm of like-minded swarming termites from other colonies in the area. These large swarms are usually easy pickings for predators, such as bats and birds, so many of the swarmers will never get to the point at which they can create their own colony. But if swarming turbine is lucky, it will find a mate in the swarm, and then fly off to find a place to create a new colony.
These termites will find a good spot to land. Once they land, they will lose their wings and start to dig out the beginnings of their colony. The first room that they dig out is known as the royal chamber. It’s in this room that the two will mate and the female will begin her process for filling her queenly duties. She will start to lay eggs as fast as she can. The king will work as a worker termite foraging for food, and taking care of the young for a short time. Once the first eggs hatch in the nymphs emerge, these nymphs now will take over the work of the worker termites. The king will pass on having fulfilled his mission.
If you’re having an issue with termites or any other pests, it’s time to call a Broken Arrow exterminator that can help. Here at TermMax pest control. we are the best in the business when it comes to dealing with termites, or any other insect. We service a greater Tulsa area, including Broken Arrow, Sand Springs, Claremore, Catoosa, Coweta, Prattville, Sapulpa, Bixby, Jenks, Turley, Owasso, and so much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
