Termites

Breaking Down Termites

Termites are destructive social pests that can destroy your property within months. If homeowners in Seattle do not address the issue with haste, they’ll regret it. Termite soldiers chew through wood and other products that contain cellulose before feeding it to other termites. They’ll cooperate as a team to ensure that the colony thrives, but the worker does most of the mundane work.

For instance, the worker termite builds tunnels and termite mounds. Mounds can tell you that the colony on your property has grown too large for its current tunnel system. The mounds are built to support the new soldiers and workers. Some termites burrow in wood and build nests there. Termites also construct mud tubes that allow them to travel back and forth to food sources without being attacked.

In the United States, Subterranean termites are the most problematic. Although they’re not dangerous to people, they cause 95% of the property damage done in the United States annually.

Members Of The Termite Colony

When a termite colony has invaded your property, you need to identify each member of the colony. Termites are grouped depending on their responsibilities.

Queens

The queen termite is one of the most important during the colony’s early days. She works with the king termite to produce a lot of workers and soldiers. They’ll also produce swarmers in spring so the colony can expand and reach new areas of your property. Queen termites are the largest termites in the colony and need help from workers to navigate the tunnels.

Kings

King termites help the queen. They aid with the reproduction process so the colony can produce more soldiers and workers. The king will always work with the queen to keep the colony growing.

Workers

Worker termites are light and do not have wings. They have 10mm soft bodies. Despite their unimpressive size, they are one of the most important members of the colony. When something needs to be done, there is a good chance that the termite workers will do it. They will help the colony build more tunnels and they’ll maintain existing tunnels.

In addition to this, they search for food and feed other termites in the colony.

Soldiers

Termites can be attacked by various predators, but they primarily have to worry about ants. Ants will attack colonies or workers when they’re out of the tunnels hunting for food. Soldiers protect the colony and other termites from invaders. They have long heads and powerful jaws that allow them to destroy predators.

Swarmers Or Reproductives

Finally, the last member of the colony is the swarmer which is also referred to as a reproductive. The swarmer is the only other member of the colony that can produce worker termites. There are male and female swarmers and both have wings. In spring, they’ll flee the colony and look for other areas to build nests.

Although a colony can house countless winged reproductives, it will only have one king and one queen.

Seattle’s Most Problematic Termites

Seattle is likely home to many species of termites but some are more common than others. If you’re worried about termites destroying your home, you’re worried about Subterranean termites.

About

Subterranean termites are destructive and cause most of the damage to American homes. They can be found in every American state except for Alaska. They’re similar to other termites because their colony will feature a king, a king, and lots of soldiers, workers, and swarmers. The appearance of the termite depends on its class and responsibility. Queen termites are larger than other members of the colony. Workers and soldiers may reach three-eights of an inch. As for swarmers, they grow up to half an inch.

Behaviors

It is important to learn more about the behavior of Subterranean termites. What do they do once they invade your property? They’ll start by building underground colonies on your property. They can live above ground but it requires special precautions since they need access to water. If they don’t have access to water, they’ll dry out and die. When spring arrives, the colony will produce swarmers and send them out to build new colonies.

Biggest Threats

Subterranean termites aren’t dangerous to humans or pets. However, they can still ruin your life. You cannot ignore a termite infestation because it’ll destroy your most valuable asset. Worker termites chew off tiny pieces of wood. Over time, the damage done to your home will be massive. They’ll cause immense property damage if not addressed.

Flying Ants Vs Termites

Some ants and termites can fly. Although they look similar, you should be able to determine what you’re dealing with easily. First, you should look at the insect’s wings. By doing that, you’ll notice that flying termites have wings of equal size. Flying ants have longer wings in the front. A flying termite’s wings are fragile so they can be ripped from its body easily. As for the waist, flying ants have a pinched waist but termites do not.

Finally, the antennas are different. A flying ant will have elbowed antennas.

More About Termites

• Termites eat wood and other materials that contain cellulose. Once they’ve found a viable food source, they’ll eat constantly without breaks.
• If you don’t eliminate the termite colony, it may stick around for 50, 60, or even 70 years.
• A termite colony in the United States may have half a million termites at any given time.
• Although you need to remove termites from your property, they’re helpful for the environment because they remove deadwood.
• Many termites need constant access to water. If they don’t have water, they will not survive.
• Although they have other predators, ants are the most common. Soldier termites are constantly at war with ants.
• Approximately 40 species of termites live in the United States.
• Alaska is the only state that isn’t home to Subterranean termites.
• Termites cause significant damage, but Subterranean termites cause most of that damage.
• The world has more than 2,000 termite species.
• Termite won’t eat concrete. However, they can move through its cracks easily.
• Queen termites have a lifespan of more than 20 years.
• A queen termite can produce as many as a thousand eggs each day.

Can Termites Make You Sick?

Termites are not dangerous in the conventional sense because they don’t bite, scratch, or spread illnesses. Nevertheless, they could make you sick with concern. When they begin destroying your home, you know it is only a matter of time before the problem worsens. You won’t be able to sleep at night since the termite infestation will keep you awake. As a result, your lack of sleep could make you sick. Other than that,   are not dangerous.

Getting Rid Of An Existing Termite Infestation

Eliminating an entire termite colony won’t be easy, but you can do it with help from a qualified pest control expert. Our company is here to help. We offer comprehensive termite services, including inspection, extermination, and prevention services. These weak, fragile insects can be eradicated easily, but they’re difficult to find. You’ll need to know where they’re hiding and how to identify the infestation. Termites can travel hundreds of feet from their colonies. As a result, homeowners may have difficulty spotting the termite colony. You can solve the problem sooner by hiring us to find and eliminate the infestation.

Eradicating The Termite Colony Myself

Could you eliminate a termite colony by yourself? Could you do it effectively and safely? Ultimately, it is difficult to say for certain. There are too many variables to consider. There is always a chance that you’re going to experience problems when using pesticides you’ve purchased from a hardware store. Furthermore, you may not treat all of the termites around your property. While it is technically possible to eliminate the termite colony by yourself, it is not advised. We recommend hiring a professional to protect your health and your loved ones.

When Can Your Exterminator Get Here?

Call to schedule an appointment with our exterminators today. We’ll reach out to you within 48 hours.

How Safe Is Your Termite Treatment?

Our company works hard to devise plans to get rid of termites safely and effectively. We wouldn’t do anything that could make you ill. Instead, we’re going to work diligently and cautiously to provide our clients with reliable, safe results. We only use products that have been tested extensively to guarantee that they’re safe around humans and pets. Furthermore, our products are EPA-registered so you can count on them to be safe.

Preventing Termites From Targeting Your Home

• Start by checking your gutters. Make sure water is not running toward your home’s foundation. Termites need water. Cutting off their water source will force them to leave your property.
• Don’t let the humidity increase too much in your attic or crawlspace. If it is too humid, it will create excess moisture and termites will like that. Reduce the humidity to keep termites away from your property.
• Make sure your firewood is properly stored. It should be elevated at least five inches from the foundation, and always place firewood 20 feet away from your home.
• Mulch should be placed 15 inches or further from the home’s foundation.
• Check the home’s foundation regularly and look for signs of termites.
• If you believe your home has termites, stop and contact us immediately.

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