TERMITES
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TERMITE CONTROL SERVICES
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Our termite control process
Determining whether you have an active termite infestation or not can be more complicated than you’d expect. Because termites are rarely found above ground in the open and the damage they cause is typically hidden away in areas that are out of sight (often behind drywall), finding signs that they are present can be tricky. However, they do leave behind subtle signs of their presence. Spotting these signs is often best left to professionals with experience in training in handling termite issues, like the team here at Hawx Pest Control.
We recommend having a professional termite inspection every three to five years to ensure your property is safe and in good condition. Our technicians are specially trained in how and where to look for termite damage, including using this evidence to determine termites are active in your home and, if so, what treatment option would work best in your situation.
Our primary method for treating termites is the Advance Termite Bait System. This system involves placing several bait traps around your property to draw termites to them. This bait contains an active ingredient that can destroy an entire colony, but remains undetectable by the termites themselves. We strategically place termite monitoring stations in the ground around the exterior of your home, particularly around key locations where termites may be tunneling into your property. When we identify termite activity around one of the stations, we place a bait cartridge in that station.
We also offer foaming application treatments. During this treatment, we drill holes through your drywall and insert a foam between the studs one to two feet high. Once the foam dies down, it leaves a residue that kills termites. Additionally, liquid treatments are available in some locations.
Protect your home from wood-destroying termites
Termites can be dangerous and costly if left untreated in your home or business. If you think you might have a termite problem, or if you simply want to increase your peace of mind, reach out to Hawx Pest Control. Our termite inspections and treatments are thorough and effective.
What are termites?
Most people know of termites and the damage they can cause, but a surprising number of people couldn’t identify one if shown pictures. This is because it’s actually quite rare to see termites out in the open—they live their lives underground in extensive colonies made up of tunnel networks not that unlike ants. In fact, many people describe termites as similar-looking, paler-colored ants, but the truth is they are quite different and really that’s about where the similarities end.
On their own, one termite can’t really do all that much. But the problem is termites are rarely alone. Instead, termites live in colonies that can range in numbers from the thousands all the way up to millions, and it doesn’t take long for a colony to grow, thrive, and flourish. And when they take root in a building, getting them out can be exceedingly difficult.
Termites are pests that feed on wood, typically older wood used in the structure and foundation of your house. This means termites can harm the structural integrity of your home and should be addressed as early as possible.
Every year in the United States, termites cause more than $5 billion in damage.
Termites typically have straight antennas and defined waists. They’re brown, beige, or black in color. Some termites, especially those that reproduce, have wings, but not all termites do.
While there are many different types of termites native to the United States, subterranean termites may pose the greatest risk to your structure due to their preferred location in your foundation. As most termites are between ¼ and ½ of an inch in length, they can be tricky to identify until it’s too late.
More than one colony of termites—each consisting of more than a million bugs—can infest your home at the same time; in fact, there are usually at least two colonies of termites in most home infestations. That means you may need different rounds of treatment for each colony, depending on the stage of damage and infestation of each.
Which type of termite is most common?
Eastern subterranean termites are the most common, generally speaking. However, depending on where you live, there may be other termite species that are common, like Drywood or Dampwood termites, which live in structures cut off from soil. There are over 2,600 species of termites worldwide, so it can be hard to identify what specific type you have in your home without professional help.
Subterranean termites typically infest fallen trees, stumps, or dead wood that are in contact with soil, including any dead wood in the structural lumber of homes, especially wood that touches landscape soil.
As their subterranean name suggests, they build their kingdoms underground, ruled by a queen who has a significantly longer lifespan than the rest of the colony. The reproductive termites are winged, but the soldiers and workers are not. Most of them are dark brown or caramel colored. After it rains, you may see swarms of the winged termites appear. This is one way you can identify a termite infestation in or near your home.
Other ways to spot these termites include looking for termite shelter tubes, which are little tunnels they dig in the mud, soil, and even concrete to get from their nests to their food source. They look like small holes or tunnels, and if you break them open, you’ll find the termite colony working away. The last way to identify subterranean termites in your home is to look for punctures or blisters in your wood. If you’re able to poke them open easily and see termites inside—well, you have a termite infestation.
What is the lifespan of a termite?
While most termites live only for a year or two, queen termites can live for about a decade, The queens handle all the major destructive planning, like evil geniuses behind a heist operation. Any wooden structure that is close to soil or that is old is a great spot for them to spawn—that includes your spare firewood, older trees, or antique wooden furniture.
Why do termites eat wood?
It’s not the wood that termites are after as much as what that wood is made from. Like other plant cells, wood has cellulose, which is an important protein that helps our little leggy adversaries thrive.
Termites don’t like all wood species, but if there’s a species they don’t like and it’s decaying, they’ll still give it a try. They’ll eat decayed wood faster than healthy wood because the decay fungi in the wood breaks down the cellulose into smaller units that termites can digest more easily. Termites can digest regular wood too, but the decay fungi makes their work quicker and easier in decayed wood.
The speed at which they eat wood (and cause damage to your home) also varies due to factors such as the size of the colony, the size of each bug, and the climate. However, once they start, the damage is slow and steady. In three to eight years, you could see significant problems that put your home and family at risk.
What causes termites?
When the weather warms up, so do termite appetites. Termites love warm, moist places to start their colonies, and, oftentimes, the subterranean areas of your home fit the bill.
Subterranean termites usually nest in or near soil because of its ability to hold moisture. They use shelter tubes to move through the soil to find food. They are often found feasting on wood that has been slightly decayed because of the decay fungi mentioned above.
Where might I find termite damage?
Damage can occur anywhere there’s wood! However, the most common areas of damage are found in the foundation of your house because of its close proximity to moist soil where termites live. The moisture from the soil can also increase the speed of decay in your foundational wood, attracting the termites and creating an ongoing cycle of termite breeding and infestation. Ceilings, walls, and floors are also attractive to termites if they are exposed to moisture and have any decay you may not be aware of.
A good rule of thumb is to look for water damage in your wood. If it looks like you have water damage, it could just be termites capitalizing on a slightly damp environment and damaging the wood on their own. Wood damage caused by water and damage caused by termites looks similar. Signs like peeling paint and pin-sized holes (almost as if someone went to town on your wall with a thumbtack) are tell-tale signs you may need a termite protection service plan.
How can I prevent termite infestations before they happen?
In addition to scheduling regular termite protection services from Hawx, there are some simple things you can do in between professional pest checks to keep termites away.
- Plant your garden and other landscaping away from your house (this minimizes the potential for the damp environment that termites love so much)
- Prevent soil from coming into contact with wood on your property (minimize moisture that stays in the ground after it rains)
- Fill in any gaps (termites love to wedge themselves in tiny, unoccupied places)
- Store firewood away from your home
- Patch up leaks and watch out for water-based decay (your basement is a hot spot for termites due to its proximity to the ground)
- Let the sun do the dirty work for you—place any infected items outside for a few days (termites are basically wood-eating vampires, so they’ll die off quickly when forced to sunbathe on your favorite antique furniture)
Pro tip: Spray borate on any wood surface you plan to paint or prime. It preps the wood and makes it unappetizing to any pests due to its natural chemical structure.
Why choose Hawx for termite pest control?
Our core values are literally how we got our name. Hawx is an acronym for:
- Honesty
- Attitude
- Work ethic
- eXcitement
This is the governing principle for why we do what we do. At the end of the day, this is not just a pest control service. Hawx gives you the means necessary to ensure that your family’s well being and peace of mind are protected.
As a bonus, we also support reforestation and restoration efforts that allow us to give back to the delicate ecosystem we find ourselves participating in, such as Bayer’s “Feed a Bee” program. This allows us to keep your home, and all of our wildlife, safe and fruitful for decades to come. Most pests are actually beneficial in nature, so protecting them in their natural habitats allows our planet to function and thrive the way it’s supposed to.
Plus, with free estimates at Hawx, you’ve got nothing to lose by giving us a call about your newest home intruders.
Ready to bid those termites adieu? We’ve got you covered, and can’t wait to discuss the best options for you.
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