Termites are one of the most serious pest infestations you can have in your home. Leaving them for too long can lead to massive structural damage and make houses unsafe to be in. If you’re dealing with an infestation, call us now at 1-800-634-1313 or visit our website insectfree.com and fill out the pop up for a consultation today!
Termites are a common pest in Florida and can cause significant damage to your home or business. So today, we’ll touch on some termite basics and things to look out for when it comes to a possible infestation.
Pasco Termite Control: What types of termites are the worst?
Now, many people use termites as a blanket statement. However, there are many species of termites, and three main ones that cause damage to Florida homes. Let’s touch on some of them now. And there are four types that you’re likely to run across, with three of them being the most common in Florida. But in the interest of arming you with the information you need to identify a possible infestation, let’s touch on each type of termite.
Drywood Termites
These termites are unique in the family of termites because they don’t tunnel in the ground or live in soil. Drywood termites instead to prefer to live in the dried out wood of dead trees in the environment, or things like structural timber or wood flooring in your home. These termites tend to do less damage than other types, but still require an expert to deal with properly.
These are a small species of termite. They have a narrow body and are about a fourth of an inch long. They have a creamy white color, and some of them have wings. To keep these away from your home you have to dispose of any wood you find with them in it immediately. Because of their non burrowing nature, this is usually enough. Make sure not to stack firewood near your home. And keep your outdoor wooden furniture well maintained.
Dampwood Termites
Dampwood termites cause millions of dollars of damage to Florida homes every year. These pests don’t need soil to build a colony and will infest areas where they have access to damp wood. Live trees aren’t even safe from Dampwood termites. And they’re a large species that eats quickly, making them capable of doing a tremendous amount of damage in a small amount of time.
Do deal with this type of termite, you need to make sure to deal with timber on your property. Overhanging tree limbs can easily lead to a dampwood termite infestation in your home. And once they’re established, it’s very difficult for a layman to deal with them.
Dampwood termites can reach nearly half an inch in length and have a hard outer shell. These termites are usually reddish-brown in color.
Pasco Terminte Control: Subterranean Termites
These termites live in the soil and are known for their large nests. In fact, subterranean termites have the largest nests of any insect in the U.S. This species prefers to stay out of the open air or be exposed to the elements. Instead, they spent the majority of their time underground. They connect their nests with straight mud tube lines to food sources and near moisture. While the wood in trees is their food source of choice, they will also eat fence posts, structural timber, and any other wood elements around a property. Subterranean termites are often the most destructive; a colony can quickly cause significant damage to your home. If you think you have these in your home or business, you’ll absolutely need some Pasco Termite Control.
These termites are about a fifth of an inch long, and can be creamy white in coloration or dark shades of brown. They have quite a wide range of coloration as a species. And you can also tell you’re dealing with this species because they build obvious mud tubes to expose wood to feed.
Formosan Termites
While not quite as destructive as subterranean termites, this is one of the most populous species in the south, especially the southeast. You’ll find these termites living underground and building mud tubes to exposed wood as well. They deal less damage than other types of termites, but over the course of years can completely undermind a house’s structure.
These termites have transparent wings and small hairs all over their body. They’re typically half an inch long with a narrow body, six legs, and yellowish coloration.
Pasco Termite Control: Termite Prevention Tips
The number one method with a bullet is simple. If you’re a homeowner, you should regularly schedule termite inspections from a qualified pest control expert. We at Earth’s Best can address conditions around your home that increase the risk of termite infestation. For example, excess moisture around the foundations and wood-to-ground contact both of which can attract termites to your home. There are, however, a few steps you can take as a layman.
For one, you want to prevent termites from having access to your home in the first place. Seal gaps around water and gas lines where they enter your home. And wood-to-ground contact areas are a common access point for the worst termite species. Reduce this whenever possible. Examples include unfinished deck posts in the ground. You can also treat exposed wood with certain methods to make them unattractive to pests.
Getting rid of excess termite food will also help. Anything made of cellulose like cardboard, mulch, and other woody products can all feed termites. Keep burn piles far away from your home, and keep your gardens from going all the way up to your foundation.
And finally, addressing any leaky plumbing or moisture issues is key. Make sure water never pools around your roof or the foundation of your home because that would just be inviting damp wood termites to come in and have their grub.
But at the end of the day, if you have a real issue with termites, you need to contact a professional as soon as possible.
