While there are many termite species already known to mankind these days, only a few have proven to be economically significant. Most of these species are classified as subterranean or those that start nesting in the ground rather than in wood. These species are: Schedorhinotermes sp., Coptotermes sp., and Mastotermes sp. These three species cause majority of the problems related to termites while another three species are responsible for a few low level damages. They are: Heterotermis sp., Microcrotermes sp. and Nasutitermes sp.
Nature and Appearance
Because a termite's body comprise of three segmented body parts and because these pests have three pairs of legs, they have been classified as insects. Quite peculiarly, the separation between the thorax and the abdomen of termites are not easily visible. This is the reason under the naked eye; the termite's body seems to have two major parts only, the head and the abdomen/thorax. Termites also have a pair of antennae. The antennae are straight and are not readily visible without close observation.
Examining more closely, one can see that termites do not have eyes, or at least visible ones. Termites are considered to be technically blind and only rely on their antennae for mobility. However, it was also observed by some experts who have conducted in-depth anatomical studies on termites, termites have been found to respond to light or the heat that is brought by the same light. It was then theorized that termites may have "eyes" that can only process light gradient.
Unlike some ants, cockroaches and beetles, termites do not have exoskeletons or a hardened outer shell (similar to crabs and shrimps). In the contrary, termites have very soft and very translucent coverings. Because of this physical condition, termites lose moisture fast, explaining their need for constant water supply. In fact, termites need water more than they need wood. But of course, they would die with the lack of the latter.
All termites exhibit the same physical appearance, with only the specie called Alate Termite Caste as the exception. This termite specie are unique because of all the termite species named by experts, this specie is the only one having wings.
Endless search for Water and Wood
To understand termite foraging behavior, it is important that one should realize first that termites are technically blind and that they cannot smell or sense anything that is not within the boundaries of their tunnels. Having known that, it can be deduced then that they method performed by termites to find their way to houses and buildings is definitely random. Nonetheless, no matter how random it is, there are certain things that definitely lead termites into such places. For example, termites will be most attracted to follow leaking pipes, tree roots and other natural or artificial material that would probably lead them to wood or to water.
Termites make tunnels underground just like how human miners dig tunnels in search for gems and metals. Termites will eat their way into the ground or any other obstruction until they find wood or water. Until they have found what they are looking for, they will not cease "digging" regardless of the weather condition or the kind of material that they have to eat up. They can eat their way through almost anything: carpet, cable sheath, plasterboard, etc. It is good to note that termites cannot eat concrete, they can make cracks in concrete widen though through constant contact (physical erosion due to friction) or through the sweat that they produce which is highly acidic.
In short, termites strive where water and wood are present. Even in very harsh weather conditions, termites may continue to thrive because of the presence of artificial water sources, especially in suburban areas. Such artificial sources include: leaking pipes, water condensing from an air-conditioned and the like.
Wood Digestion
Termites are actually in search for cellulose or a long chain or polymer that is comprised of sugar molecules. They eat wood and other plant materials to get cellulose. However, termites cannot digest cellulose all by themselves. They have to rely on certain bacteria and protozoa in order to digest their food. Without these, termites will not be able to nourish their bodies and would reduce to extinction. The presence of these organisms in their bodies is what makes termites unique amongst all other insects. It is interesting to add too that the digestive system of termites is close to that of a cow.
The relationship of the termites and the micro-organisms that live inside them can be classified as symbiotic. These micro-organisms feed on cellulose and they will have no way of finding cellulose if they will not stick with the termites. On the same way, termites will not be able to digest cellulose without the help of these micro-organisms. It is safe to say then that neither organism can survive without the help of the other.
Termite Nests
Most people are familiar with termite mounds as termite nests. Nevertheless, not all termites live in mounds. In fact, some termites simply live underground without any hint of their existence above ground. Some termites also live in trees, either dead or alive; some termites build small termite mounds on trees while maintaining connection to the ground through soil tunnels that climb from the ground to the height where the termite mound is attached.
It is important to note too that the most destructive types of termites do not build termite mounds. Instead, the more economically significant termites prefer to keep their existence a secret until comes the time when they have done maximum damage. Nonetheless, in all cases, termites build their nest using the droppings of the termite workers. Like ants, termites are also stratified through a caste system. Droppings of termites belonging to other castes are eaten by the termite workers and then they gather in a specific area where they drop their faeces. These areas include places in the colony where nest enlargement is necessary, where a shelter tube has to be built or where mud tunnels are to be constructed. These faeces serve as the building blocks of the construction. The way termites build their nests and the structures inside has always marvelled both experts and hobbyists up until today.
Written by Michael Rozatoru :)
Termite Colony Organization
The Caste System
The term social insects have been used to describe insects that live together while following a very strict organization. Ants and termites are classified as social insects because of this very reason. This article will discussed about the caste system used in termite colonies.
To foster our understanding of the caste system implemented by termites in their respective colonies, it is important to note that an entire termite colony can consist of thousands to millions of individual termites. In fact, a single Queen termite can produce about 20,000 termite eggs per day. In order to help the colony survive, each termite is delegated to a specific caste that will distinguish the specific duty and responsibility of each termite in the colony. Once the caste of the termite has been distinguished, a termite is bound to still to its job until it dies. There are five classifications in the termite caste system, these are:
1. The Queen and the King.
The Queen and the King both belong to the Reproductive caste. Like the queen bee and the queen ant, the queen is the only termite present in a specific colony that can lay eggs. Each colony only have single queen and king because it is the very nature of mated Alate termite (see next caste) pairs to depart from their original colony and start a new colony of their own. After mating, the appearance of both the queen and the king alters in order to adapt to their new responsibility. The king's appearance only changes a little; however, the queen will experience those most dramatic physical changes. The queen's abdomen is gradually enlarge until it becomes a mere egg-laying machine, a termite that cannot move and whose only purpose is to lay eggs while producing hormones called pheromones. Since the queen in immobile, the mating produce of the king and the queen from then onwards becomes a one-way approach. The king simply injects to the queen the other hormone that is needed to complete the reproduction process.
2. The Winged Termites.
Winged termites belong to the Alate caste. In Australian where termites are mostly prevalent these termites are called flying ants. They are the only fully developed insects in the colony. They have wings, eyes and reproductive organs. Such termites appear in the colony only in select periods within a year. The main purpose of such termites in to assure the sustainability of the specie. When Alate termites find their pair and begin to mate, they will lose their wings and they would be compelled by nature to start a colony of their own in the ground. Alate termites cannot start a new colony inside a building or a house; they have to start on the ground in order to survive.
The presence of fallen Alate termite wings is often the most obvious warnings to the homeowner or property caretaker that a possible termite infestation is apparent. Since Alate termites shed their wings after the swarming process, their wings usually end up scattered on the floor or caught by spider cobwebs. Alates leave their colonies from spring to summer. They usually appear late in the afternoon or very early in the evening when the atmospheric humidity is high. They also come out during storms and heavy rains.
3. The Substitutes.
These termites are classified as the supplementary reproductive caste because they are like Alate termites which are fully developed by unlike them, they do not leave their colonies. They are like stand-by replacements for the king and the queen in the event that they die. If substitutes are not readily present, it is possible for the colony to die. This explains why many termite colonies can survive for many decades. If during their lifetime the queen and the king still lives, they remain as substitute until the day that they die. Nevertheless, the role of the substitute termites in the colony is indispensible and they are considered equally significant as the other classes.
4. The Workers.
The working class comprises majority of the colony population. Although they are so many, workers remain faithful to their duty because they are technically blind and sexually sterile, thus rendering them useless if they do not follow the caste and start working incessantly. The working class are called as such because they do all the things that are supposed to be done in the colony. For example, it is the working class that eats the feces of the other termite castes and then drops its faeces in a specified place where colony expansion or improvement is needed. They also dig the tunnels and guard the galleries inside the colony. Moreover, the nurses that take care of the eggs also belong to this caste. It is this termite class that causes the damage to many different wooden and cellulose-based houses and buildings.
5. The Soldiers.
Like all soldiers, the main responsibility of soldier termites is to defend the colony from whatever threats that it has to face. Soldiers look a little more different than the other termites in the colony; they have modified heads that are pigmented. The head also appears to be heavily armoured that the soldier termites are helpless when it comes to feeding themselves. Workers are supposed to feed soldiers because they cannot do so by themselves. It is through the modified appearance of soldier termites that experts began studying their caste system. Thus, it is because of the soldier termites that we now have a clear understanding of the different responsibilities performed by all the termites in a specific colony.
The caste system implemented by termites has helped these insects survive and thrive over the past thousands of years. While it is still not clear how termites are born with the specific characteristics that they have, what is clear to many experts is that the existence of termites depends so much on this system. Take away their system of organization and you also take away their chance of surviving.
I, Michael Rozatoru, just wrote this awesome post :)
UPDATE: There is another cool post on this topic called "The Social Classification of Termites" that you might want to check :)
The term social insects have been used to describe insects that live together while following a very strict organization. Ants and termites are classified as social insects because of this very reason. This article will discussed about the caste system used in termite colonies.
To foster our understanding of the caste system implemented by termites in their respective colonies, it is important to note that an entire termite colony can consist of thousands to millions of individual termites. In fact, a single Queen termite can produce about 20,000 termite eggs per day. In order to help the colony survive, each termite is delegated to a specific caste that will distinguish the specific duty and responsibility of each termite in the colony. Once the caste of the termite has been distinguished, a termite is bound to still to its job until it dies. There are five classifications in the termite caste system, these are:
1. The Queen and the King.The Queen and the King both belong to the Reproductive caste. Like the queen bee and the queen ant, the queen is the only termite present in a specific colony that can lay eggs. Each colony only have single queen and king because it is the very nature of mated Alate termite (see next caste) pairs to depart from their original colony and start a new colony of their own. After mating, the appearance of both the queen and the king alters in order to adapt to their new responsibility. The king's appearance only changes a little; however, the queen will experience those most dramatic physical changes. The queen's abdomen is gradually enlarge until it becomes a mere egg-laying machine, a termite that cannot move and whose only purpose is to lay eggs while producing hormones called pheromones. Since the queen in immobile, the mating produce of the king and the queen from then onwards becomes a one-way approach. The king simply injects to the queen the other hormone that is needed to complete the reproduction process.
Winged termites belong to the Alate caste. In Australian where termites are mostly prevalent these termites are called flying ants. They are the only fully developed insects in the colony. They have wings, eyes and reproductive organs. Such termites appear in the colony only in select periods within a year. The main purpose of such termites in to assure the sustainability of the specie. When Alate termites find their pair and begin to mate, they will lose their wings and they would be compelled by nature to start a colony of their own in the ground. Alate termites cannot start a new colony inside a building or a house; they have to start on the ground in order to survive.
The presence of fallen Alate termite wings is often the most obvious warnings to the homeowner or property caretaker that a possible termite infestation is apparent. Since Alate termites shed their wings after the swarming process, their wings usually end up scattered on the floor or caught by spider cobwebs. Alates leave their colonies from spring to summer. They usually appear late in the afternoon or very early in the evening when the atmospheric humidity is high. They also come out during storms and heavy rains.
These termites are classified as the supplementary reproductive caste because they are like Alate termites which are fully developed by unlike them, they do not leave their colonies. They are like stand-by replacements for the king and the queen in the event that they die. If substitutes are not readily present, it is possible for the colony to die. This explains why many termite colonies can survive for many decades. If during their lifetime the queen and the king still lives, they remain as substitute until the day that they die. Nevertheless, the role of the substitute termites in the colony is indispensible and they are considered equally significant as the other classes.
The working class comprises majority of the colony population. Although they are so many, workers remain faithful to their duty because they are technically blind and sexually sterile, thus rendering them useless if they do not follow the caste and start working incessantly. The working class are called as such because they do all the things that are supposed to be done in the colony. For example, it is the working class that eats the feces of the other termite castes and then drops its faeces in a specified place where colony expansion or improvement is needed. They also dig the tunnels and guard the galleries inside the colony. Moreover, the nurses that take care of the eggs also belong to this caste. It is this termite class that causes the damage to many different wooden and cellulose-based houses and buildings.
Like all soldiers, the main responsibility of soldier termites is to defend the colony from whatever threats that it has to face. Soldiers look a little more different than the other termites in the colony; they have modified heads that are pigmented. The head also appears to be heavily armoured that the soldier termites are helpless when it comes to feeding themselves. Workers are supposed to feed soldiers because they cannot do so by themselves. It is through the modified appearance of soldier termites that experts began studying their caste system. Thus, it is because of the soldier termites that we now have a clear understanding of the different responsibilities performed by all the termites in a specific colony.
The caste system implemented by termites has helped these insects survive and thrive over the past thousands of years. While it is still not clear how termites are born with the specific characteristics that they have, what is clear to many experts is that the existence of termites depends so much on this system. Take away their system of organization and you also take away their chance of surviving.
I, Michael Rozatoru, just wrote this awesome post :)
UPDATE: There is another cool post on this topic called "The Social Classification of Termites" that you might want to check :)
Top Preventative Measures Against Termite Infestations
Termites are amongst the most destructive bugs on earth. They may not carry diseases that are fatal to human lives but they can they destroy a human abode in a matter of weeks depending on what type of termites is infesting the house. The most voracious of all termites can viciously consume a pound of wood a day and that would vary if there is a multitude of termites inhabiting the colony. There are termites that could have colonies 5 million strong and could virtually cohabit with you somewhere in your property. You can do the math already with that said.
However, according to some recent research, most types of termites do not exactly dwell in residential households. Only the most common ones like the eastern subterranean termites and ground termites are most likely to inhabit and infest a household. They are slower in wood consumption than the other contemporary types of termites like the Formosan subterranean termites which could munch wood up to a pound per day. It is highly probably that these types of severe wood eating termites would dwell in forests, far from residential private properties, therefore a lesser propensity for people to fear the possibility of having a total property breakdown. But still, one can't be too overconfident about research found statistics as there would always still be a possibility that they could find their way into residential areas and cause havoc and destruction. One would still have to be very careful with termites and should do the necessary precautions as early as possible to thwart the potential presence of termite infestation.
Formosan termites are more destructive than the other types of termites. They highly voracious wood eaters and they could consume to even more than a pound of wood per day depending on the strength of their colony. A hundred thousand - strong colony could almost instantly reduce a wooden household in a nick of time. Although, studies indicate that they are most likely to thrive on natural environments, contrasting that are the report accounts of them being found on regular residential households causing damage beyond belief. One shouldn't take that risk of possibly having them around. Therefore, precautionary measures are still strongly encouraged.
Now, let's talk more about preventive and or counter methods in dealing with pest termite infestation. There are little known methods or ways in counteracting an already ongoing pest termite infestation. This is because of the fact that termites are really difficult to control once they have started out a momentum of wood feeding-fest spree. Nevertheless, even if there are only a few, there are still ways. However, that shouldn't be an initial option or path to take when dealing with termites. The best way to go in solving termite problems is still through prevention. Prevention will ensure you that you will never have to suffer from needless property damage in any degree. That's why it is still highly imperative for a homeowner to execute preventive measures in dealing with termites. When it comes to termites, the earlier is always the better.
With that said, let's talk now about the preventive measures on dealing with pest termite problems that you can do first hand.
There are actually many ways in how you can prevent the invasion of termites inside your house. Some of them would entail quite an amount of effort and some of them would require less. Although the options with less effort would consequentially mean that they could possibly be less effective but the individual effort to optimize each method could spell out the difference of the method’s effectiveness.
Here are some of the best preventative measures you can choose from in order to keep those termites away:
1. Synthetic Wood
Although this is a long shot method in getting rid of termite invasion possibility, not to mention the potential cost consideration of the option, this would still prove to be an effective way in not inviting termites inside the house. As termites naturally feed only on genuine organic wood, if you furnish your house's infrastructure with synthetic wood, termites would be less interested to do anything to your house. However, your wooden furniture's safety doesn’t count but still the deterrence to termite infestation is still present. If you want, you may have non-wood furniture at home as well, but that’s completely up to you.
2. Regular Exterminator Checkups
It is said that the effective mean prevention is through detection. If you do have wood parts in your house or it’s entirely made up of wood, there's just no saying that termites will never attack your house as the possibility would unavoidably stand. Therefore, regular routine checkups for early signs of infestation would really help a lot in immediately addressing the problem in case there is indeed an infestation inside the house. It helps to curb things before they go worse. By then you will have ample time to prepare by researching for means on how to prevent termite infestation as well as how to deal with them.
3. Borate Treatment
Treat the wood parts of the house with borate solution upon construction. Borate solutions are effective termite repellents and could truly get rid of termites for a very a long time. Most houses in US are applied with borate solutions upon construction in order to prevent termites from invading the house any time after constructions.
4. Chemical Barriers
Like the borate treatment, this is another chemical treatment approach to prevent termites from infiltrating the house. This requires the usage of termiticides to insulate your house from termite invasion. Liquid termiticides are trenched on the soil and around the house. Given that the treated soil will remain undisturbed, the treatment is said to last for as long as 5 years.
5. Termite Baiting
Is another popular method that has recently gain acceptance to a lot of homeowners nowadays. There are a variety of termite baiting methods available. The rationale of this method is essentially to lure termites away from your house by placing baits outside of your house. Wood bait is one of the termite baiting methods being used by many people. It is also an effective way to detect early signs of possible infestations.
This kick-ass termite extermination post was written by,
Michael Rozatoru
However, according to some recent research, most types of termites do not exactly dwell in residential households. Only the most common ones like the eastern subterranean termites and ground termites are most likely to inhabit and infest a household. They are slower in wood consumption than the other contemporary types of termites like the Formosan subterranean termites which could munch wood up to a pound per day. It is highly probably that these types of severe wood eating termites would dwell in forests, far from residential private properties, therefore a lesser propensity for people to fear the possibility of having a total property breakdown. But still, one can't be too overconfident about research found statistics as there would always still be a possibility that they could find their way into residential areas and cause havoc and destruction. One would still have to be very careful with termites and should do the necessary precautions as early as possible to thwart the potential presence of termite infestation.
Formosan termites are more destructive than the other types of termites. They highly voracious wood eaters and they could consume to even more than a pound of wood per day depending on the strength of their colony. A hundred thousand - strong colony could almost instantly reduce a wooden household in a nick of time. Although, studies indicate that they are most likely to thrive on natural environments, contrasting that are the report accounts of them being found on regular residential households causing damage beyond belief. One shouldn't take that risk of possibly having them around. Therefore, precautionary measures are still strongly encouraged.
Now, let's talk more about preventive and or counter methods in dealing with pest termite infestation. There are little known methods or ways in counteracting an already ongoing pest termite infestation. This is because of the fact that termites are really difficult to control once they have started out a momentum of wood feeding-fest spree. Nevertheless, even if there are only a few, there are still ways. However, that shouldn't be an initial option or path to take when dealing with termites. The best way to go in solving termite problems is still through prevention. Prevention will ensure you that you will never have to suffer from needless property damage in any degree. That's why it is still highly imperative for a homeowner to execute preventive measures in dealing with termites. When it comes to termites, the earlier is always the better.
With that said, let's talk now about the preventive measures on dealing with pest termite problems that you can do first hand.
There are actually many ways in how you can prevent the invasion of termites inside your house. Some of them would entail quite an amount of effort and some of them would require less. Although the options with less effort would consequentially mean that they could possibly be less effective but the individual effort to optimize each method could spell out the difference of the method’s effectiveness.
Here are some of the best preventative measures you can choose from in order to keep those termites away:
1. Synthetic Wood
Although this is a long shot method in getting rid of termite invasion possibility, not to mention the potential cost consideration of the option, this would still prove to be an effective way in not inviting termites inside the house. As termites naturally feed only on genuine organic wood, if you furnish your house's infrastructure with synthetic wood, termites would be less interested to do anything to your house. However, your wooden furniture's safety doesn’t count but still the deterrence to termite infestation is still present. If you want, you may have non-wood furniture at home as well, but that’s completely up to you.
2. Regular Exterminator Checkups
It is said that the effective mean prevention is through detection. If you do have wood parts in your house or it’s entirely made up of wood, there's just no saying that termites will never attack your house as the possibility would unavoidably stand. Therefore, regular routine checkups for early signs of infestation would really help a lot in immediately addressing the problem in case there is indeed an infestation inside the house. It helps to curb things before they go worse. By then you will have ample time to prepare by researching for means on how to prevent termite infestation as well as how to deal with them.
3. Borate Treatment
Treat the wood parts of the house with borate solution upon construction. Borate solutions are effective termite repellents and could truly get rid of termites for a very a long time. Most houses in US are applied with borate solutions upon construction in order to prevent termites from invading the house any time after constructions.
4. Chemical Barriers
Like the borate treatment, this is another chemical treatment approach to prevent termites from infiltrating the house. This requires the usage of termiticides to insulate your house from termite invasion. Liquid termiticides are trenched on the soil and around the house. Given that the treated soil will remain undisturbed, the treatment is said to last for as long as 5 years.
5. Termite Baiting
Is another popular method that has recently gain acceptance to a lot of homeowners nowadays. There are a variety of termite baiting methods available. The rationale of this method is essentially to lure termites away from your house by placing baits outside of your house. Wood bait is one of the termite baiting methods being used by many people. It is also an effective way to detect early signs of possible infestations.
This kick-ass termite extermination post was written by,
Michael Rozatoru
The Myths and the Facts about Termites
It is quite helpful in the total eradication of termites nesting in places where they are not supposed to nest (houses, gardens, building, etc) for people to be educated about the myths and the facts about them. This article is written to lay out all the myths invented by fond storytellers and straighten out the facts about them. Although this article does not cover everything, the things included in this article are sufficient to help an average reasonable person how to deal with termites in the most intellectual way as possible.
The Myths
1. Termites are so aggressive that they can destroy houses in months.
This is a clear misnomer because it is a fact that termites need decades before they can make any significant damages to the house. In fact, it takes about sixty thousand termites to finish up a foot of wood in a decade!
2. Black ants and termites are mortal enemies, so black ants can be used to eradicate termites.
Even if black ants and termites are indeed mortal enemies (although no scientific research has actually proven so), it is quite impossible for black ants to eradicate termites because the latter live in nests that are perfectly sealed. The tunnel system of each termite colony is impressively impenetratable that black ants and other insects cannot pass though.
3. Termites that peacefully live in your garden should not be disturbed or they will avenge the end of their peace by attacking your house.
This may seem realistic if we are talking about intellectual animals that have the capability to plan and think. However, termites do not think nor do they plan. They only do whatever it is that they do through a very random process. They dig and only stops when they find water or wood. A termite attack in your house after clearing our termites in your garden does not mean anything else except the fact that you have not successfully cleared out all the termites in your garden and that through random digging, they have reached your house.
3. A mulch or firewood that is infested by termites can cause termites infestation in the place where you next place the mulch or the firewood.
This is surely not true because it is the very nature of termites to die once they become separated from their colony. The number of termites in a specific colony can grow to millions because of the nature of termites to stick to one another. So, once you removed firewood from somewhere it has already become part of a colony, whatever termite that has been brought along with the firewood or the mulch will definitely die.
4. Termites can enter your house though holes on your walls, windows, etc.
Of course, this is quite impossible. First, termites do not have the ability to see, and they only dig their through the ground based on very random methods. While it can be admitted that the possibility of house entry through holes is possible, this possibility remains to be very slim that we can only consider it for theoretical statistics' sake. Moreover, 99% of the time, termites enter a house though the holes that they dug themselves from the ground to your wooden floorings.
5. Holes and dusts are the early signs of termite infestations.
This is definitely not true because termites by nature are very much afraid to break through the surface where they forage for food. If by accident the termite made a hole though the surface, it immediately covers the hole with the material that comes from its stomach. The material is mud-like and dries into perfect cover-up for the hole created. The cover-up is quite strong considering the fact that termites excrete a glue-like substance that serves as a very effective binder.
6. Termites are most attracted to old houses.
It is usually understood that old houses have in fact become old because they are made from very durable materials. Old house made from wood survived that long because they are made from hardwoods which are the least attractive to termites. Modern houses now are built using cheaper materials like soft woods. For this reason, it is more likely for modern houses to be attacked by termites than old house made from hardwood.
7. Termites are so dangerous that they are capable of tearing down one out of four houses in a single year!
This is ridiculous because as earlier said; termites do not destroy houses that fast. With simple deductive reasoning, one can actually see how foolish this claim is. All that you have to do in order to see the misnomer is to imagine how many of your neighbors have termite problems and for how long have you been neighbors. If the claim happens to be true, the termites should have destroyed one house every year. If this is true, all the houses in your neighborhood should have been torn down.
Now here are the things that are true about termites:
1. Termites do not have the sense of sight and smell.
2. While termites and the name white ants refer to the same insect, the latter is a misunderstanding because termites are not white and they are not ants too!
3. Termites only start their nests on the ground. They do not start living in houses on day one.
4. About 3% of all the houses in a termite-prone area are infested by termites. That is, a single house may get infected once in every twenty or thirty years.
5. Based on appearance and specie, termites are more related to cockroaches than to ants. However, in terms of behavior, like ants, termites also follow a caste system.
6. Almost 100% of the time homeowners are able to find and eradicate termites because they are able to make any significant damages. Termites are also spotted by homeowners who do not ever look for them.
7. Termites are not easy to eradicate though termite eradication is never impossible. In fact, most of the termite eradication processes performed always ends up successful.
Sincerely,
Michael Rozatoru
The Myths
1. Termites are so aggressive that they can destroy houses in months.
This is a clear misnomer because it is a fact that termites need decades before they can make any significant damages to the house. In fact, it takes about sixty thousand termites to finish up a foot of wood in a decade!
2. Black ants and termites are mortal enemies, so black ants can be used to eradicate termites.
Even if black ants and termites are indeed mortal enemies (although no scientific research has actually proven so), it is quite impossible for black ants to eradicate termites because the latter live in nests that are perfectly sealed. The tunnel system of each termite colony is impressively impenetratable that black ants and other insects cannot pass though.
3. Termites that peacefully live in your garden should not be disturbed or they will avenge the end of their peace by attacking your house.
This may seem realistic if we are talking about intellectual animals that have the capability to plan and think. However, termites do not think nor do they plan. They only do whatever it is that they do through a very random process. They dig and only stops when they find water or wood. A termite attack in your house after clearing our termites in your garden does not mean anything else except the fact that you have not successfully cleared out all the termites in your garden and that through random digging, they have reached your house.
3. A mulch or firewood that is infested by termites can cause termites infestation in the place where you next place the mulch or the firewood.
This is surely not true because it is the very nature of termites to die once they become separated from their colony. The number of termites in a specific colony can grow to millions because of the nature of termites to stick to one another. So, once you removed firewood from somewhere it has already become part of a colony, whatever termite that has been brought along with the firewood or the mulch will definitely die.
4. Termites can enter your house though holes on your walls, windows, etc.
Of course, this is quite impossible. First, termites do not have the ability to see, and they only dig their through the ground based on very random methods. While it can be admitted that the possibility of house entry through holes is possible, this possibility remains to be very slim that we can only consider it for theoretical statistics' sake. Moreover, 99% of the time, termites enter a house though the holes that they dug themselves from the ground to your wooden floorings.
5. Holes and dusts are the early signs of termite infestations.
This is definitely not true because termites by nature are very much afraid to break through the surface where they forage for food. If by accident the termite made a hole though the surface, it immediately covers the hole with the material that comes from its stomach. The material is mud-like and dries into perfect cover-up for the hole created. The cover-up is quite strong considering the fact that termites excrete a glue-like substance that serves as a very effective binder.
6. Termites are most attracted to old houses.
It is usually understood that old houses have in fact become old because they are made from very durable materials. Old house made from wood survived that long because they are made from hardwoods which are the least attractive to termites. Modern houses now are built using cheaper materials like soft woods. For this reason, it is more likely for modern houses to be attacked by termites than old house made from hardwood.
7. Termites are so dangerous that they are capable of tearing down one out of four houses in a single year!
This is ridiculous because as earlier said; termites do not destroy houses that fast. With simple deductive reasoning, one can actually see how foolish this claim is. All that you have to do in order to see the misnomer is to imagine how many of your neighbors have termite problems and for how long have you been neighbors. If the claim happens to be true, the termites should have destroyed one house every year. If this is true, all the houses in your neighborhood should have been torn down.
Now here are the things that are true about termites:
1. Termites do not have the sense of sight and smell.
2. While termites and the name white ants refer to the same insect, the latter is a misunderstanding because termites are not white and they are not ants too!
3. Termites only start their nests on the ground. They do not start living in houses on day one.
4. About 3% of all the houses in a termite-prone area are infested by termites. That is, a single house may get infected once in every twenty or thirty years.
5. Based on appearance and specie, termites are more related to cockroaches than to ants. However, in terms of behavior, like ants, termites also follow a caste system.
6. Almost 100% of the time homeowners are able to find and eradicate termites because they are able to make any significant damages. Termites are also spotted by homeowners who do not ever look for them.
7. Termites are not easy to eradicate though termite eradication is never impossible. In fact, most of the termite eradication processes performed always ends up successful.
Sincerely,
Michael Rozatoru
Main Types of Termites
Top 5 Termite Types Typically Found in Households
Now that we have already talked about the important considerations when dealing with termite activities inside the house, particularly on gathering information about the problem at hand, then it is about time that we go down to the specifics. The specifics of what kind information should you get and how should you arrange them in hierarchy according to their chronological order of importance. Bits and pieces of information may be relevant only to specific period of time, and after that, you would have to move on already into the other parts of the information that are pertinently useful to the following periods of time within the process of dealing with pest termite infestation.
Then again, the information's basis of stratification would depend on how an individual perceives the idea of termite extermination and how his or her convenience works in taking-on the task. You will find that people often differ from each in their sense of convenience and comfort; what might be comfortable to you may not always be comfortable to others; same as what you know about termite extermination may be relatively different from someone else. Due to the relativity of information and perception, it would then be wise that we go to the most common approaches of them all and lay them all down in this article for an interactive reference with you. This way, when they are just laid down in front of the reader, they are only given a heads-up on what are the things to do and it encourages them to freely explore the methods and create their own stratification out of it, depending on what and how they find things important over the other.
Moving on, we know now that gathering information is the initial consideration when dealing with pest termite infestation problems. Now let's talk about what is the real information that you need.
Knowing the type of termites infesting your household will enable you to properly address the problems. There are specific types of termites that require specific types of chemical treatments, and you should aware of it. From knowing the pests, you will be able to effectively formulate a battle plan and strategize on how to gradually and then fully eradicate them. Be aware that dealing with termites is not an easy task as you may never know where specifically they inhabit the house as they could just be practically everywhere where there wood stripes and surfaces. You might just have to take down the entire household property to unearth the pests. Knowing the types will help you not to resort to that.
Types of Termites
Heads-Up: There are actually many types of termites out there in the world and we are just going to narrow them to the most prominent and also commonly found to infest inside a house. Termites are colonizing insects that feed mainly on wood matter. There are those types of termites that can turn you house into dust as quickly as fire could and there are those that take their time, even years to finally convert your property into utter ruins.
Like they all say, the more you know the better. It would significantly help your battle plan to address the termite infestation problem if you know the specifics of the creatures that are causing the problem inside your house. Knowing which one tunnels on the ground before munching on your wooden surfaces and which on directly attacks the furniture and wooden wall surfaces, could spell a whole lot of difference in expediently addressing a serious problem. Apart from how they get in, knowing how they look like is also important.
In the United States, there are five(5) main types of termites, and depending where you live or what type of climate you have in the area, you should be able to familiarize yourself with one or more of them.
5 Main Types of Termites
Eastern Subterranean Termites:
This type of termite is by far the most prevalent type of termites in the US; also called as "soil eating" or "soil feeding termites", these termites feed on almost anything organic but mainly on cotton, paper, tree and bush roots and then of course, the favorite, wood. The cellulose parts of the wood are the most enticing parts for subterranean termites. Another awe-striking and intimidating fact about eastern subterranean termites is that they could have colonies as strong as 5 million termites, and it is just virtually possible for them to inhabit underneath or near your house. Imagine if a colony strong lives nearby or somewhere the property, how long do you think your house will last against them? Although an average colony would only foster 30 to 40 thousand range, they are still formidable house destroyers at that level. These type of termites can be found in almost any part of an edifice. They also have swarm intelligence which means they move in on accord and the colony as one entity. Think about it, 5 million of them marching their way to the dilapidation of your property? It doesn't even matter if you have an entire commercial building for an abode.
Formosan Subterranean Termites
These type of termite are likely found on the warmer southern climates of United States and as well as in Hawaii. Now, these are the one of those you should greatly fear of the termite families as they are voracious eaters of wood. They can consume huge amounts of wood very quickly that a wooden hut or the wood proportions of a fully established house wouldn't even last a week in their strongest attacks. Because of their vicious abilities to speedily consume wood, they are often branded as the "super termites". As a matter of fact, a healthy colony of adult Formosan termites could consume a pound of wood in just one day or even less! Their inflation rate could reach to as much as 1300 eggs per day, and a week of them around would be already too much to handle. And note this! They also are capable of munching metal! The best way to deal with these types of termites is only through prevention. There's no saying whether you can win a battle against them once they have started out an infestation inside your house even with the help of exterminators already.
Western Subterranean Termites
Dominantly prevalent in the western parts of the continent, these types of termites can sneak inside your house through small seams and cracks. They typically build their colonies underneath the house below the frost line and above the water table. The best way to detect their presence inside your house is to spot the tell-tale tunnels they made and recognize their swarming activities.
Drywood Termites
As their name implies, this type of termites can be found on anywhere there is dry wood. From wooden bookshelves, wardrobes, and even hardwood wall surfaces of the house. Although they are slower wood eaters compared to those that were mentioned above, their sporadic presence and multitude inside the house is not something you will condone.
Desert Termites
Apart from wood, they also feed on soil along with it. Maybe it's their appetizer of some sort before the main course. They are often found in places or locations with dry climates. A distinguishable exterior characteristic of this type of termites is their more slender mandibles compared to all the other termites.
This amazing post was researched and written by,
Michael Rozatoru :)
Now that we have already talked about the important considerations when dealing with termite activities inside the house, particularly on gathering information about the problem at hand, then it is about time that we go down to the specifics. The specifics of what kind information should you get and how should you arrange them in hierarchy according to their chronological order of importance. Bits and pieces of information may be relevant only to specific period of time, and after that, you would have to move on already into the other parts of the information that are pertinently useful to the following periods of time within the process of dealing with pest termite infestation.
Then again, the information's basis of stratification would depend on how an individual perceives the idea of termite extermination and how his or her convenience works in taking-on the task. You will find that people often differ from each in their sense of convenience and comfort; what might be comfortable to you may not always be comfortable to others; same as what you know about termite extermination may be relatively different from someone else. Due to the relativity of information and perception, it would then be wise that we go to the most common approaches of them all and lay them all down in this article for an interactive reference with you. This way, when they are just laid down in front of the reader, they are only given a heads-up on what are the things to do and it encourages them to freely explore the methods and create their own stratification out of it, depending on what and how they find things important over the other.
Moving on, we know now that gathering information is the initial consideration when dealing with pest termite infestation problems. Now let's talk about what is the real information that you need.
First things first, you have to know what are the type(s) of termites you have inside your house.
Knowing the type of termites infesting your household will enable you to properly address the problems. There are specific types of termites that require specific types of chemical treatments, and you should aware of it. From knowing the pests, you will be able to effectively formulate a battle plan and strategize on how to gradually and then fully eradicate them. Be aware that dealing with termites is not an easy task as you may never know where specifically they inhabit the house as they could just be practically everywhere where there wood stripes and surfaces. You might just have to take down the entire household property to unearth the pests. Knowing the types will help you not to resort to that.
Types of Termites
Heads-Up: There are actually many types of termites out there in the world and we are just going to narrow them to the most prominent and also commonly found to infest inside a house. Termites are colonizing insects that feed mainly on wood matter. There are those types of termites that can turn you house into dust as quickly as fire could and there are those that take their time, even years to finally convert your property into utter ruins.
Like they all say, the more you know the better. It would significantly help your battle plan to address the termite infestation problem if you know the specifics of the creatures that are causing the problem inside your house. Knowing which one tunnels on the ground before munching on your wooden surfaces and which on directly attacks the furniture and wooden wall surfaces, could spell a whole lot of difference in expediently addressing a serious problem. Apart from how they get in, knowing how they look like is also important.
In the United States, there are five(5) main types of termites, and depending where you live or what type of climate you have in the area, you should be able to familiarize yourself with one or more of them.
5 Main Types of Termites
Eastern Subterranean Termites:
This type of termite is by far the most prevalent type of termites in the US; also called as "soil eating" or "soil feeding termites", these termites feed on almost anything organic but mainly on cotton, paper, tree and bush roots and then of course, the favorite, wood. The cellulose parts of the wood are the most enticing parts for subterranean termites. Another awe-striking and intimidating fact about eastern subterranean termites is that they could have colonies as strong as 5 million termites, and it is just virtually possible for them to inhabit underneath or near your house. Imagine if a colony strong lives nearby or somewhere the property, how long do you think your house will last against them? Although an average colony would only foster 30 to 40 thousand range, they are still formidable house destroyers at that level. These type of termites can be found in almost any part of an edifice. They also have swarm intelligence which means they move in on accord and the colony as one entity. Think about it, 5 million of them marching their way to the dilapidation of your property? It doesn't even matter if you have an entire commercial building for an abode.
Formosan Subterranean Termites
These type of termite are likely found on the warmer southern climates of United States and as well as in Hawaii. Now, these are the one of those you should greatly fear of the termite families as they are voracious eaters of wood. They can consume huge amounts of wood very quickly that a wooden hut or the wood proportions of a fully established house wouldn't even last a week in their strongest attacks. Because of their vicious abilities to speedily consume wood, they are often branded as the "super termites". As a matter of fact, a healthy colony of adult Formosan termites could consume a pound of wood in just one day or even less! Their inflation rate could reach to as much as 1300 eggs per day, and a week of them around would be already too much to handle. And note this! They also are capable of munching metal! The best way to deal with these types of termites is only through prevention. There's no saying whether you can win a battle against them once they have started out an infestation inside your house even with the help of exterminators already.
Western Subterranean Termites
Dominantly prevalent in the western parts of the continent, these types of termites can sneak inside your house through small seams and cracks. They typically build their colonies underneath the house below the frost line and above the water table. The best way to detect their presence inside your house is to spot the tell-tale tunnels they made and recognize their swarming activities.
Drywood Termites
As their name implies, this type of termites can be found on anywhere there is dry wood. From wooden bookshelves, wardrobes, and even hardwood wall surfaces of the house. Although they are slower wood eaters compared to those that were mentioned above, their sporadic presence and multitude inside the house is not something you will condone.
Desert Termites
Apart from wood, they also feed on soil along with it. Maybe it's their appetizer of some sort before the main course. They are often found in places or locations with dry climates. A distinguishable exterior characteristic of this type of termites is their more slender mandibles compared to all the other termites.
This amazing post was researched and written by,
Michael Rozatoru :)
Termite Extermination Tips
Starter Advice for Termite Control and Extermination
An important crucial factor when dealing with termite infestation problems inside the house is to have sufficient knowledge about the problem at hand. Having sufficient knowledge about the problem at hand will enable you to know what to do precisely about the problem, especially when it comes to the specific aspects of it. Also, it will enable you to easily and conveniently take on the job without undergoing any hassles of setbacks or failing in the process or at least the percent error is minimized because you already know what to particularly do. That's why before you jump into getting into the job right away; you must first learn the every step of the process in dealing with termite infestation problems. You may also consider this as a precautionary measure to avoid any possible accidents from taking place. Often accidents happen because of the lack of knowledge and information about the task at hand. The person would most likely end-up executing the wrong actions which could potentially lead to unprecedented accidents.
Fortunately, the process of accessing and acquiring information concerning methods to control termites has been made easier due to the convenience provided unto us by interactive technology, granting us the information we need instantaneously through the internet. The internet serves as a medium in disseminating and proliferating information and that includes the information concerning termite eradication. Almost everyone now uses the internet to access information concerning do-it-yourself methods in dealing with termite problems as everyone would prefer to step away from the hassles of spending a fortune in hiring professional termite extermination services. That's why they would rather go to the internet and look for ways that they will be able to manage to do themselves, simply because it is way cheaper. Though sometimes the tips given in the internet may not be that straightforward but it can still be managed given the right patience, effort and time.
So enough about the discussions about where to get information about termite control conveniently, let us now talk about what type of information should you get and how to arrange them according to their importance in the task at hand. Now this all boils down to the apparently immediate question we need to answer as of this very moment now that you are just starting out in the termite extermination task - What is the first thing you need to know about termite extermination or control?
The answer to this question may be relative to different individuals depending on their understanding of the problem and their convenience when addressing termite infestation. But there are quick tips that are commonly applied for starters and could be of real help to you as well. These tips are perhaps among the simplest steps of the termite control processes and should be initially considered when starting out. You need not to worry, since they are for starters, they are most likely easy to follow and execute. Of course, effort is a constant factor to any steps or procedures.
Here are some of the top initial considerations when starting-out a termite control task for the first time:
You can't just immediately assume that there are termites in your house just because you saw the wood surfaces of your home being punctured. For all you know, they might just be simple dints caused by impact pressures of some external devices. You’ll be spending for no clear conclusion whether or not you have a termite infestation inside the house. Doing about this part of the task can be done in many ways. But the easiest way to know if you have a termite infestation inside the house is to see things for yourself.
If they easily break apart, then there might be termites weakening the wood fabric. Of course, that's apart from visibly seeing them after you cave the wood in. Another way to check if there are infestations inside the house is to place pieces of wood underneath the house tows, or any suspected areas of a termite hive. If you find out that your woods are being munched away the next day by suspected resident termites, then you have a termite problem at hand.
They have the most appropriate and effective, if not the most advance equipments to look for termite habitations inside the house. If the inspection comes out positive, you can just easily upgrade the services employed from inspection to extermination. They too have the state-of-the-art equipments to quickly get rid of termite problems inside the house.
Apart from through inspections, another thing that ought to be considered when dealing with termites is to know what type of termites you have inside the house. You will be able to address the apparent termite problem properly if you know which type of termite is drilling holes into your wood furniture and surfaces. There are specific types of termites that can only be dealt with a specific type of exterminating chemical compounds. If these chemicals are used on the wrong type of termites, chances are they might not take effect at all on the target or could cause unexpected reactions or mutations which could possibly lead to the worst case scenarios like enhancing the termites capacities making them more destructive. Mutations can do this to creatures by enhancing an aspect of their physical attributes and or abilities.
If termite infestation could really be very severe, then you must not hesitate taking the option of hiring professional services to deal with the problem. This is to ensure that the problem is properly dealt with and salvage your household and properties from sheer and utter destruction. Never, compromise the well-being of your property just because hiring professional help may come expensive.
Your favorite termite control expert :)
Michael Rozatoru
An important crucial factor when dealing with termite infestation problems inside the house is to have sufficient knowledge about the problem at hand. Having sufficient knowledge about the problem at hand will enable you to know what to do precisely about the problem, especially when it comes to the specific aspects of it. Also, it will enable you to easily and conveniently take on the job without undergoing any hassles of setbacks or failing in the process or at least the percent error is minimized because you already know what to particularly do. That's why before you jump into getting into the job right away; you must first learn the every step of the process in dealing with termite infestation problems. You may also consider this as a precautionary measure to avoid any possible accidents from taking place. Often accidents happen because of the lack of knowledge and information about the task at hand. The person would most likely end-up executing the wrong actions which could potentially lead to unprecedented accidents.
Fortunately, the process of accessing and acquiring information concerning methods to control termites has been made easier due to the convenience provided unto us by interactive technology, granting us the information we need instantaneously through the internet. The internet serves as a medium in disseminating and proliferating information and that includes the information concerning termite eradication. Almost everyone now uses the internet to access information concerning do-it-yourself methods in dealing with termite problems as everyone would prefer to step away from the hassles of spending a fortune in hiring professional termite extermination services. That's why they would rather go to the internet and look for ways that they will be able to manage to do themselves, simply because it is way cheaper. Though sometimes the tips given in the internet may not be that straightforward but it can still be managed given the right patience, effort and time.
So enough about the discussions about where to get information about termite control conveniently, let us now talk about what type of information should you get and how to arrange them according to their importance in the task at hand. Now this all boils down to the apparently immediate question we need to answer as of this very moment now that you are just starting out in the termite extermination task - What is the first thing you need to know about termite extermination or control?
The answer to this question may be relative to different individuals depending on their understanding of the problem and their convenience when addressing termite infestation. But there are quick tips that are commonly applied for starters and could be of real help to you as well. These tips are perhaps among the simplest steps of the termite control processes and should be initially considered when starting out. You need not to worry, since they are for starters, they are most likely easy to follow and execute. Of course, effort is a constant factor to any steps or procedures.
Here are some of the top initial considerations when starting-out a termite control task for the first time:
1. First thing you would to consider when dealing with termite infestation is to know if you really have an infestation going on inside your house.
You can't just immediately assume that there are termites in your house just because you saw the wood surfaces of your home being punctured. For all you know, they might just be simple dints caused by impact pressures of some external devices. You’ll be spending for no clear conclusion whether or not you have a termite infestation inside the house. Doing about this part of the task can be done in many ways. But the easiest way to know if you have a termite infestation inside the house is to see things for yourself.
2. When you see weakening, cracks, irregular seams in a wall surface, try caving them in.
If they easily break apart, then there might be termites weakening the wood fabric. Of course, that's apart from visibly seeing them after you cave the wood in. Another way to check if there are infestations inside the house is to place pieces of wood underneath the house tows, or any suspected areas of a termite hive. If you find out that your woods are being munched away the next day by suspected resident termites, then you have a termite problem at hand.
3. Another way to find out if you do really have a termite infestation inside the house is to call for professional termite inspection services.
They have the most appropriate and effective, if not the most advance equipments to look for termite habitations inside the house. If the inspection comes out positive, you can just easily upgrade the services employed from inspection to extermination. They too have the state-of-the-art equipments to quickly get rid of termite problems inside the house.
Apart from through inspections, another thing that ought to be considered when dealing with termites is to know what type of termites you have inside the house. You will be able to address the apparent termite problem properly if you know which type of termite is drilling holes into your wood furniture and surfaces. There are specific types of termites that can only be dealt with a specific type of exterminating chemical compounds. If these chemicals are used on the wrong type of termites, chances are they might not take effect at all on the target or could cause unexpected reactions or mutations which could possibly lead to the worst case scenarios like enhancing the termites capacities making them more destructive. Mutations can do this to creatures by enhancing an aspect of their physical attributes and or abilities.
Open-mindedness should always be exercised when it comes to termite control.
If termite infestation could really be very severe, then you must not hesitate taking the option of hiring professional services to deal with the problem. This is to ensure that the problem is properly dealt with and salvage your household and properties from sheer and utter destruction. Never, compromise the well-being of your property just because hiring professional help may come expensive.
Your favorite termite control expert :)
Michael Rozatoru
Professional Termite Eradication
Eradicating Termites the Professional Way
Termite eradication comprises the greater bulk of all the services rendered by pest control companies throughout the country. While some homeowners might opt to eradicate and control select pests on their own thereby depriving pest control companies their opportunity to do business, when it comes to termites, no homeowner is bold enough to try to face these wood mites on their own. But what really makes termites so dreadful that at the very knowledge that they might be infesting a house brings the homeowner into no other option but to call a pest control company as soon as possible? This article will explore the special case of termite infestation.
Above anything else, what makes termites special amongst all other pests that live in houses is their ability to produce enzymes that can digest wood. They can also conceal their presence from the sight of the homeowner for decades thus slowly tearing out the very foundations of the house without being detected. Termites can stealthy eat up the insides of the wood foundations of the house.
Termite eradication is supposed to be easy; in fact, any average reasonable person can do it, if the number has not rose to thousands just yet. However, in most cases, the presence of termites only becomes apparent come the time when their population have already reached its peak, say ten to sixty thousand mites in a single house! This truth leads to another universally accepted truth -- termite eradication should be left to the experts if one is really serious in getting rid of them.
Nevertheless, there have been so many instances when poor homeowners who suffer from termite infestation have been fooled by fake pest control companies hiding under the guise of cheap service fees. In most cases, homeowners who suffer serious termite infestation problems at home would become so desperate to get rid of the mites in the most affordable way as possible; and one of these ways is to accept deals from pest control companies which promise to deliver an excellent job at a very low cost. This does not have to mean that all pest control companies that offer their services very cheaply are supposed to be fake already, rather, what is implied here is that homeowners should be somewhat critical to the pest control companies that they hire to get rid of the termites that they have at home. Here are a few tips which an average reasonable homeowner might find helpful when choosing a pest control company:
1. Compare the offered service cost relative to the cost of the same service as rendered by other companies.
Have you lived in an era when the internet is not yet widely available, you might find this first step preposterous, however with how easy the exchange of information is these days, this option seems to be the most obvious thing that any homeowner should do. It is highly suggested for the homeowner to visit official web-pages of pest control companies and then talk to a customer service representative in order to get all that necessary information that is needed. The homeowner should ask about the nature of the services that the company offers and the cost of each service; including the terms of the contract that both parties should be signing. It is also very important for the homeowner to make certain first whether the company is actually registered as a legal pest control service provider. This can be done by cross-referencing the company name with the list of legal pest control companies registered in the state where these companies are operating.
Another great idea is to use the telephone directory to search for the legal pest control companies that operate in a certain locality. If you are a homeowner in search for such companies, it is best if you patiently call each company and ask them about the services that they offer and the cost of each service. You can do the comparison yourself. Of course, your main goal is to find a legal and reliable pest control company that offers the most reasonable cost.
2.Find out about the method of eradication that is employed by the company you are to hire.
While some people do not think that the methods by which certain companies eradicate pests are not important, to some, it is actually significant. Homeowners who keep pets or have children at home are mostly very concern about the methods by which the pests are eliminated. Some companies actually use very dangerous and harmful poisons which can jeopardize the health of children and pets. There are some companies that use forbidden and illegal poisons too. As a concerned citizen, it is very important that you only hire companies that follow the standards set by the state and the regulations imposed for their kind of work.
3.If you have no experience whatsoever, do not try to eradicate the termites on your own.
It is a fact that many homeowners actually love to do things on their own. For example, many homeowners like to fix their own plumbing, clean their own gutter or replace their own window sills. However, when it comes to termite eradication, it is very important that one should acknowledge the extent of what he can and cannot do. Pest eradication entails the use of poisons and other methods which might cause harm to the homeowner himself or herself and to the rest of the inhabitants of the house. Since the presence of termites only become obvious when their population has already swelled up, it is already given that by the time the termites are discovered, their number is already quite difficult for a non-professional to handle.
The three given tips do not cover everything that you need to know about eradicating termites however they should be enough to give you a clear understanding of the kind of problem that you are really facing. What’s important is that you become aware of the possible things that you have to do come the time that you are faced with a problem caused by the wood-lovers we all came to call as termites.
Thank me for this awesome post later :)
Michael Rozatoru
Termite eradication comprises the greater bulk of all the services rendered by pest control companies throughout the country. While some homeowners might opt to eradicate and control select pests on their own thereby depriving pest control companies their opportunity to do business, when it comes to termites, no homeowner is bold enough to try to face these wood mites on their own. But what really makes termites so dreadful that at the very knowledge that they might be infesting a house brings the homeowner into no other option but to call a pest control company as soon as possible? This article will explore the special case of termite infestation.
Above anything else, what makes termites special amongst all other pests that live in houses is their ability to produce enzymes that can digest wood. They can also conceal their presence from the sight of the homeowner for decades thus slowly tearing out the very foundations of the house without being detected. Termites can stealthy eat up the insides of the wood foundations of the house.
Usually, their presence is only detected after years of infestation, right when obvious termite-traces are already visible, traces such as wood-dust and small holes on wooden surfaces.
Termite eradication is supposed to be easy; in fact, any average reasonable person can do it, if the number has not rose to thousands just yet. However, in most cases, the presence of termites only becomes apparent come the time when their population have already reached its peak, say ten to sixty thousand mites in a single house! This truth leads to another universally accepted truth -- termite eradication should be left to the experts if one is really serious in getting rid of them.
Nevertheless, there have been so many instances when poor homeowners who suffer from termite infestation have been fooled by fake pest control companies hiding under the guise of cheap service fees. In most cases, homeowners who suffer serious termite infestation problems at home would become so desperate to get rid of the mites in the most affordable way as possible; and one of these ways is to accept deals from pest control companies which promise to deliver an excellent job at a very low cost. This does not have to mean that all pest control companies that offer their services very cheaply are supposed to be fake already, rather, what is implied here is that homeowners should be somewhat critical to the pest control companies that they hire to get rid of the termites that they have at home. Here are a few tips which an average reasonable homeowner might find helpful when choosing a pest control company:
1. Compare the offered service cost relative to the cost of the same service as rendered by other companies.
Have you lived in an era when the internet is not yet widely available, you might find this first step preposterous, however with how easy the exchange of information is these days, this option seems to be the most obvious thing that any homeowner should do. It is highly suggested for the homeowner to visit official web-pages of pest control companies and then talk to a customer service representative in order to get all that necessary information that is needed. The homeowner should ask about the nature of the services that the company offers and the cost of each service; including the terms of the contract that both parties should be signing. It is also very important for the homeowner to make certain first whether the company is actually registered as a legal pest control service provider. This can be done by cross-referencing the company name with the list of legal pest control companies registered in the state where these companies are operating.
Another great idea is to use the telephone directory to search for the legal pest control companies that operate in a certain locality. If you are a homeowner in search for such companies, it is best if you patiently call each company and ask them about the services that they offer and the cost of each service. You can do the comparison yourself. Of course, your main goal is to find a legal and reliable pest control company that offers the most reasonable cost.
2.Find out about the method of eradication that is employed by the company you are to hire.
While some people do not think that the methods by which certain companies eradicate pests are not important, to some, it is actually significant. Homeowners who keep pets or have children at home are mostly very concern about the methods by which the pests are eliminated. Some companies actually use very dangerous and harmful poisons which can jeopardize the health of children and pets. There are some companies that use forbidden and illegal poisons too. As a concerned citizen, it is very important that you only hire companies that follow the standards set by the state and the regulations imposed for their kind of work.
3.If you have no experience whatsoever, do not try to eradicate the termites on your own.
It is a fact that many homeowners actually love to do things on their own. For example, many homeowners like to fix their own plumbing, clean their own gutter or replace their own window sills. However, when it comes to termite eradication, it is very important that one should acknowledge the extent of what he can and cannot do. Pest eradication entails the use of poisons and other methods which might cause harm to the homeowner himself or herself and to the rest of the inhabitants of the house. Since the presence of termites only become obvious when their population has already swelled up, it is already given that by the time the termites are discovered, their number is already quite difficult for a non-professional to handle.
The three given tips do not cover everything that you need to know about eradicating termites however they should be enough to give you a clear understanding of the kind of problem that you are really facing. What’s important is that you become aware of the possible things that you have to do come the time that you are faced with a problem caused by the wood-lovers we all came to call as termites.
Thank me for this awesome post later :)
Michael Rozatoru
Dealing With Termites
One Thousand Words to Consider When Dealing With Termites
Often we find ourselves in the face of a nemesis we cannot keep count of. Their entwined nature with destruction will wreak and break the peace in our lives and shatter the silence of untroubled living. We may never be able to find our former state of peace anymore if we won't be able to beat these nasty opponents, and until we are able to do so, we will be forced to live in fear of dilapidation and havoc as we watch our abode slowly withering away piece by piece. And we're talking about epidemic proportions; once it will start-out as small punctures in the hole, slightly negligible than mice nibbles on the furniture. And then eventually, you will find the pillars of your home about to topple down into ruins because of countless hollows within that you failed to detect initially. And ultimately, the dilapidation of your home; by that time, it would have been even too late to regret the things you could have done to prevent the onslaught from happening.
Termites are greatly destructive creatures that roam the earth. We find them utterly condonable if seen in small groups. However, we will truly begin to worry if they begin cohabitating with your family inside your house underneath the wooden walls. Sooner or later they will begin to implement their collective destructive force and you will not even stand a chance once they are already in the get-go stage. There is almost no way possible to stop a termite infestation's momentum. Once it commences, they only thing you are ever going to think about is the idea of regret for not having been able to do something while they are still controllable. However, with the help of professional services from genuinely experienced termite exterminators, your impending problems of absolute destruction and catastrophe may be lessened and your worries mitigated. But that’s only of course if you are able to hire the right professional termite extermination agency. There is always a standing possibility that you may accidentally employ or hire hoax agencies that offer temporal solutions to the problem but never really ultimately address the problem. That's why there should also be a moral obligation and responsibility on your part to learn things about pest termite extermination even if you are not really going to put them into personal practice. This is important because it will help you along the way of every decision you will be making in order to get rid of the termite infestation and salvage your household from sheer and utter destruction.
There are tons of ways in order to access relevant information that concerns the proper facilitation and implementation of termite control methods. But you have to be careful along the process. This is because there are times that you may be accessing the wrong and or false information and that wouldn't be too good for you and your house especially if it is under a termite infestation.
They will know more about how to address specific aspects of the problem base from their long and extensive experience in dealing with the same stuff. They will know more on what to do now and next and what are the things you would have to avoid in order not to suffer from regrettable debacles. Professional entities could also give you tips (sometimes free depending on the entity's mood) that you will truly find helpful in personal addressing the termite problems inside your household, or to give an insight about the idea of hiring professional termite control services. You can also be assured that their advices and tips will be really of help and would work because you know for a fact that they have been through the same experience and have already done the things they have told you.
Another way to seek information about dealing with termites is through accessing the internet. The internet is a very useful tool in this technologically driven era. Almost any information that you need immediately will be given to you instantly. You can conveniently do that by simply being able to type-in the appropriate pertinent keywords and presto! You now have the information you need. The same thing applies to information regarding pest termite control; information ranging from finding and hiring the right professional termite extermination services to do-it-yourself methods that you can readily apply right away into your very homes. The internet also offers for sale items on dealing with termite control issues. Ebay serves as host or market to all the tools necessary for the trade, you just have to make sure you pick the right tools and be wise about the dealers you transact with online. You can never be too sure about online transactions granting the nature of entrepreneurial relationship you can have in the internet. There's just a teeming possibilities of scam and swindling, that you just can't put your full trust on every online business transaction. There are tips as well on how to effectively pick the right business partner to transact with over the web. You can also look up on that. Most importantly, you have to use your common sense and keen logic to make sure that you will not fall victim to internet opportunists.
Any of those ways to access information concerning dealing with termites can be of great use and help to you if you know your way around with things. Often, no matter how helpful the information may be, but you don't usually use your brains to make things work, none of them will really matter at all as you will surely fail.
Just another termite control guy,
Michael Rozatoru
Often we find ourselves in the face of a nemesis we cannot keep count of. Their entwined nature with destruction will wreak and break the peace in our lives and shatter the silence of untroubled living. We may never be able to find our former state of peace anymore if we won't be able to beat these nasty opponents, and until we are able to do so, we will be forced to live in fear of dilapidation and havoc as we watch our abode slowly withering away piece by piece. And we're talking about epidemic proportions; once it will start-out as small punctures in the hole, slightly negligible than mice nibbles on the furniture. And then eventually, you will find the pillars of your home about to topple down into ruins because of countless hollows within that you failed to detect initially. And ultimately, the dilapidation of your home; by that time, it would have been even too late to regret the things you could have done to prevent the onslaught from happening.
There is no other animal in this world that can do as much damage as this but termites.
Termites are greatly destructive creatures that roam the earth. We find them utterly condonable if seen in small groups. However, we will truly begin to worry if they begin cohabitating with your family inside your house underneath the wooden walls. Sooner or later they will begin to implement their collective destructive force and you will not even stand a chance once they are already in the get-go stage. There is almost no way possible to stop a termite infestation's momentum. Once it commences, they only thing you are ever going to think about is the idea of regret for not having been able to do something while they are still controllable. However, with the help of professional services from genuinely experienced termite exterminators, your impending problems of absolute destruction and catastrophe may be lessened and your worries mitigated. But that’s only of course if you are able to hire the right professional termite extermination agency. There is always a standing possibility that you may accidentally employ or hire hoax agencies that offer temporal solutions to the problem but never really ultimately address the problem. That's why there should also be a moral obligation and responsibility on your part to learn things about pest termite extermination even if you are not really going to put them into personal practice. This is important because it will help you along the way of every decision you will be making in order to get rid of the termite infestation and salvage your household from sheer and utter destruction.
There are tons of ways in order to access relevant information that concerns the proper facilitation and implementation of termite control methods. But you have to be careful along the process. This is because there are times that you may be accessing the wrong and or false information and that wouldn't be too good for you and your house especially if it is under a termite infestation.
One way to access relevant information regarding termite control methods is through inquiring professional entities or people that have extensive experience in dealing with termite problems.
They will know more about how to address specific aspects of the problem base from their long and extensive experience in dealing with the same stuff. They will know more on what to do now and next and what are the things you would have to avoid in order not to suffer from regrettable debacles. Professional entities could also give you tips (sometimes free depending on the entity's mood) that you will truly find helpful in personal addressing the termite problems inside your household, or to give an insight about the idea of hiring professional termite control services. You can also be assured that their advices and tips will be really of help and would work because you know for a fact that they have been through the same experience and have already done the things they have told you.
Another way to seek information about dealing with termites is through accessing the internet. The internet is a very useful tool in this technologically driven era. Almost any information that you need immediately will be given to you instantly. You can conveniently do that by simply being able to type-in the appropriate pertinent keywords and presto! You now have the information you need. The same thing applies to information regarding pest termite control; information ranging from finding and hiring the right professional termite extermination services to do-it-yourself methods that you can readily apply right away into your very homes. The internet also offers for sale items on dealing with termite control issues. Ebay serves as host or market to all the tools necessary for the trade, you just have to make sure you pick the right tools and be wise about the dealers you transact with online. You can never be too sure about online transactions granting the nature of entrepreneurial relationship you can have in the internet. There's just a teeming possibilities of scam and swindling, that you just can't put your full trust on every online business transaction. There are tips as well on how to effectively pick the right business partner to transact with over the web. You can also look up on that. Most importantly, you have to use your common sense and keen logic to make sure that you will not fall victim to internet opportunists.
Any of those ways to access information concerning dealing with termites can be of great use and help to you if you know your way around with things. Often, no matter how helpful the information may be, but you don't usually use your brains to make things work, none of them will really matter at all as you will surely fail.
No method is fully effective by itself. It would always need the human mind and craftsmanship to make it work.
Just another termite control guy,
Michael Rozatoru
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