Termites: the Threat that Never Sleeps
The scary thing about pest invasions is that they usually develop out of view, and by the time you see them, you have a much bigger problem under the surface.
This is especially true for termites. In North America, the Eastern subterranean termite is the most common species we deal with. They’ve been found as far north as Ontario, Canada, and as far west as Montana. Their M.O. is to build a network of interconnected feeding sites below the soil surface or just above it—allowing them to forage up to 150 feet for wood, sometimes feasting on the roots of shrubs and trees.
Termites can enter your home through cracks less than 1/16th of an inch wide. Once inside, they feed on wood, paper, cotton, and other materials. An average colony consumes over 2 feet of a 2’ x 4’ pine board in a year. That may not sound like much, but considering a colony can take years to grow big enough for you to start seeing signs, this pace can easily cause serious damage to your home. Often, we see these termites build satellite colonies inside your home that are linked to the larger underground colony.
These termites never sleep. They eat 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. An average colony boasts about 300,000 termites, but they can grow as large as 5 million. The colony’s queen lays between 5,000 and 10,000 eggs each year.
One sign we look for in evaluating a potential invasion is the presence of dirt-colored tubes the termites construct to bring food back to their colony. In the spring, as temperatures reach the 70s and 80s, colonies “swarm,” meaning they grow wings to branch out from their colony to find new sources of food and to find areas where they can establish a satellite colony.
This means their current colony is at capacity. It’s ready to expand.
During or after a swarm, you may find winged termites dead near your windows or in your sinks and bath tubs. Many homeowners mistake them for ants, a mistake that can be quite costly down the road. The differences between an ant and a termite are subtle and usually require a professional to know for sure.
That’s where Lawn and Pest Solutions comes in. Our professionals know how and where to apply Termidor treatments most effectively. Termidor is a liquid that is undetectable by termites. When they carry Termidor-treated food back to their colony, it will destroy the infestation from the inside. In field trials by the United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, test plots treated with Termidor remained termite-free more than 15 years after treatment. Furthermore, LPS technicians are regulated and licensed by the State of Mississippi.
Your termite control is only as good as your termite professional. Spraying the outside of your home just once a year or spraying swarmers when they appear only treats visible termites, while the termites doing the real damage inside your walls and soil go untreated.
You shouldn’t have to worry what’s going on inside the walls of your home. At Lawn and Pest Solutions, we know every home, every customer is unique. We do what it takes to protect your home and keep it safe from pests.
Visit lawnandpest.net/termites to learn more about our termite protection program.
