Termites are an issue that you’ll need to get in contact with your Tulsa exterminator in order to eliminate. These wood destroying insects feed off the cellulose found in wood. They are mother nature’s cleanup crew. When trees are falling in the woods, these insects can come in and remove this material. The problem comes when they find the wood that we’ve made our buildings out of. In this case, they will cause structural damage and all sorts of problems if they find your home to be a great place to eat. 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, business or any other building from them.
TERMITE FEEDING AND TULSA EXTERMINATOR
Termites are unique, in the fact that they are very susceptible to drying out. Because of this, they must remain in areas that have a lot of humid air and moisture. The outside air is too dry for them, and they will die within a matter of minutes if they find themselves trapped there. The air underground is much more humid and better for their lifecycle. So because of this, they’ll stay underground until they need to come above ground forage for food.
When they do this, they will build mud tubes up the side of buildings and trees in order to bring the humid air with them. As they build these mud tubes across dead wood, they will eat away at the floor of the mud tube which is the wood that they have been foraging. Often you can see them coming up structural beams and two by fours on those mud tubes. If you were to break those tubes away, you would see a groove following the line of the tube. This is because they have dug up the wood from underneath them as they walk through the mud tubes.
GUT BIOME AND TULSA EXTERMINATOR
These insects have a symbiotic relationship with a special enzyme that helps break down the cellulose in wood. Woos is essentially made up of two different substances. There is lignin, and there is cellulose. The majority of the wood’s cell is made up of cellulose. When they eat this wood, the enzyme will break down the cellulose and create energy out of it. This all happens inside their gut. The lignin will be passed on.
As these insects go through their lifecycle, they molt often. As they lose their exoskeleton, a portion of their digestive system will go with it, causing them to lose some of their gut biome. In order to replenish this, they will have to take a meal from one of the workers anus. This way they get the food that they need and the gut biome required to turn cellulose into energy. Contact your Tulsa exterminator for help with termites.
TERMITE SIGNS AND TULSA EXTERMINATOR
Mud tubes are the first time that you’ve got a problem with these insects. If you see them going up the side of your foundation or any other part of your home, then you know you have a problem with termites. But sometimes there are seams and cracks in the foundation of these buildings. They can find their way through, and get inside your home or business undetected. If this happens, often these insects will come up inside a wall.
They’ll build those mud tubes up the drywall feeding upon the drywall as they go. There’s plenty of cellulose in the paper on the outside, and the gypsum on the inside of these drywall boards. Eventually, they’ll get so far through that the drywall itself will become weak. If you can feel weak spots in your drywall or see spots where they have broken through and had to refill with mud, then you know you have a problem with termites.
TERMITE SWARMERS
In order for the termite colony to reproduce, it uses a special kind of termite known as a swarmer. This is a much hardier termite that lasts in the open air for a much longer period of time. These termites have wings and can fly. Every year in the late spring, these insects will leave the colony in search of a mate in order to go and create a brand new colony. They will find a large cloud of these flying insects and create a swarm. In the midst of the swarm they’ll be looking for mates. The swarms are often great targets for predators, such as bats, birds and other animals. Because of that, only about 2% of the swarmers ever make it to the point of creating a whole new colony. Contact your Tulsa exterminator for help with termites.
COLONY REPRODUCTION
Once the swarmers find a mate, they will pair up and fly off to find a spot suitable for creating a new colony. Once they find it, they will land, lose their wings, and then start to dig out the beginnings of the colony. The first room that they will dig out is known as the royal chamber. It’s here that the two will mate and the queen will begin to lay eggs for her new colony. The king will go on to tend to the eggs and forage for food. He will do this until the first eggs hatch and the nymphs emerge from their eggs. These nymphs will become the workers of the new colony. The king will die off, having fulfilled his destiny as the king of the colony.
If you’re having an issue with termites or any other pest control problems, it’s time to call 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, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Prattville, Coweta, Claremore, Catoosa, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Turley, and so much more. Call today for a free estimate. We’re here to help!
