Termites are a problem that you and your Tulsa exterminator can eliminate. These wood destroying insects are a major nuisance here in the United States. Each year millions of dollars in damage is done by termites and other word destroying insects. They target our homes and businesses and can cause major structural damage if left unchecked. Being that your house is probably your largest investment, it’s important that you protect that investment from parasites and other wood destroying insects. So in this article, let us take a good hard look at termites, their life cycle, and what you and your Tulsa exterminator can do to protect your home from termites.
TERMITE SIGNS AND TULSA EXTERMINATOR
If you’re going to protect your home from termites, then it’s important that you understand the signs that show up when a termite infestation happens. Termites are an insect that are very susceptible to drying out. Because of this, they live their lives underground where the air is more humid than it is above ground. If they find themselves above ground, they will dry out and die within a matter of minutes. In order to protect themselves, they will often build mud tubes from the ground up in order to forage for food above ground. This carries the humid air above so that they can do what they need to.
Because of this, many times, if you see mud tubes, going up the side of your home, then you know that there’s termites attacking. Often at the base of the foundation you’ll see these mud tubes headed towards the wood parts of your home. In crawlspace foundations, we often see this on the inside of the crawlspace, going up the cinderblocks. But sometimes these termites make their way up through a crack in the foundation inside the home. When this happens often they will come up inside a wall where you can’t see them. Without destroying the wall it’s impossible to know if they’re back there.
But as they come up the drywall, they will begin to eat away at the drywall. Eventually, weak spots in the drywall will start to appear. You’ll feel them as you feel with your hand across them. And sometimes the termites will even break through the drywall and have to refill the hole with dirt in order to protect their humid air. These are more signs that you may have termites. If you think you have termites contact your Tulsa exterminator here today.
SWARMERS AND TULSA EXTERMINATOR
Once a colony has matured to a certain level, it will seek to reproduce itself as a colony. In order to do this, it uses a special kind of termite known as a swarmers. These reproductives are both male and female, but are much heartier than the average termite. They can survive in the open air for long periods of time, and they are equipped with a set of wings that allow them to fly. Once a year in April and May these swarming termites will be let out into the open air in order to find a mate. They will be swarming in a large cloud of like-minded termites. Here they will look for a mate. Unfortunately, these large swarms are great targets for predators. Bats and birds will make a meal out of many of these swarmers.
If the termite lives long enough to meet up with a potential mate, the two will fly off and find a suitable place to create a new colony. Once they land, they will lose their wings and begin digging out the first parts of the colony. The first room is known as the royal chamber. It’s here that the two will mate and the female will begin her life as a queen laying eggs. The new king will begin his work as a worker. He will forage for food, and take care of the eggs until the first ones hatch. Once they hatch these new adolescent termites will become workers themselves and the king will have finished his job so he will pass on. If you are having problems with termites, then contact your Tulsa exterminator today.
TERMITE TREATMENT AND TULSA EXTERMINATOR
There are essentially two ways that you can treat termites if you find that you have signs of a termite infestation. The first way is by using liquid treatment. A liquid treatment as a method of creating a barrier all the way around your home. In order to do this, trenches dug around your home, and then pesticide is poured into the trench. It will drain down the sides of your foundation, creating a curtain of pesticide treated dirt surrounding your foundation. Then the trench will be filled in with pesticide treated dirt give you a complete control over the entire foundation. In addition, if there’s cement that goes up against the house, they will drill holes and pump the same pesticide underneath these large slabs. When you’re all done, you’ll have a protective curtain of pesticide all the way around your home.
The second way in which we protect against termites by using a termite bait station system. These are plastic stations that are buried a foot deep into the ground all the way around your home. They have a specialized bait inside them that attacks the young of the colony. When the termites find these baits, they’ll carry them back to their colony and feed the young with them. It will end up wiping out the second generation of termites coming up, killing off the colony before it can do damage. Contact you Tulsa exterminator for help.
ELIMINATING TERMITES
If you’re having issues with termites or any other pests, then it’s time to contact a Tulsa 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 insects. We service the greater Tulsa area, including Broken Arrow, Claremore, Catoosa, Coweta, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Turley, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Prattville, and so much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
