What do you picture when you think of spring? Most people envision flowers nodding in the sunshine and fresh green leaves. However, this time of year is also when termites emerge in search of something to eat. Termites can wreak havoc on a home, doing tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage in short order. Below we review what homeowners should watch for and how they can protect their homes.
The Termite Life Cycle
After spending the winter underground, termites usually emerge and swarm after a spring rain. Termite swarms occur when a termite colony has grown large enough that a new colony is needed. During swarming season, a colony produces nymphs with wings. They leave their birth colony by the thousands, pair up, and fly with their mate to a new location. Once they arrive, their wings drop off and they begin to reproduce.
Unlike bees, every termite female can become queen. Each queen can lay up to a million eggs, and she stays in charge of her subjects until she dies. If the termite swarm takes up residence in your house, she lays between 100 and 1,000 eggs every day. Some of her offspring become soldiers tasked with her defense and the others become workers. Eventually the queen produces nymphs capable of starting their own colonies and the cycle begins again.
Sentricon Provides Environmentally Friendly Termite Removal
Some termite solutions are pesticides containing chemicals that must be regulated by the EPA and can only be applied by a specially trained professional. Many homeowners are understandably concerned about introducing pesticide into their home.
Standard treatment involves drilling into concrete areas and digging a trench around your home’s perimeter, then filling the recesses with sometimes hundreds of gallons of termiticide. Liquid treatments dissipate over time, leaving your home vulnerable to re-infestation.
SafeHaven uses Sentricon, an effective termite solution that is also environmentally friendly. If our experts detect the presence of termites, they place bait stations in the ground around your home. Worker termites are constantly scouring the area for food, so it doesn’t take long before they discover the bait. As workers die, the colony becomes unable to sustain itself. There’s no drilling and no liquid pesticide, just bait that stays in place to guard against future swarms.
When to Call an Expert
If you see small piles of discarded wings around your home, it’s a sign termites have landed. Hollow sounding doors, frames and wood trim may indicate ongoing termite activity. While you can’t see inside your walls, homeowners often find signs of termite tunnels in timber left outside.
If you suspect termites, it’s vital to call an expert before they consume more of your home. SafeHaven Pest Control treats active infestations and implements prevention programs that keep pests out for good.
