Yakima Termite Control
Nothing strikes more fear into a homeowner’s heart than finding out that they have a termite infestation. Termites can do a remarkable amount of damage in a short period of time. In order to understand how, we have to take a look at termite “culture.”
Termites have a queen who controls her kingdom which is divided into three castes. There are the warrior termites that do battle with other colonies and ants. There are the reproductive termites that facilitate the production of new colonies. And lastly, there are worker termites who are responsible for feeding the entire colony.
Worker termites, who make up the bulk of termite society, work 24 hours a day and seven days a week. They don’t need sleep nor have they discovered unions. The bulk of their work involves chewing up your home and feeding the colony. They extract moisture and cellulose from plant-based materials like wood costing homeowners an estimated $5 billion per year. That’s one statistic you don’t want to be a part of.
Termites Attack from Below
Homeowners tend to think of termites attacking from within the walls. But really, that’s just when they first notice them. By then, you have a serious problem on your hands.
In fact, termites begin their invasion from underneath your walls in the soil, move into the foundation of your home, and then find their way into your walls.
In Spokane and throughout Washington, subterranean termites are the most common type you’ll find. They survive on moisture and cellulose they find in the soil. For that reason, they’ll spend most of their time underground. But inevitably, they’ll run into someone’s home along the way. That’s when they begin attacking their foundation and eventually making their way into the walls. It’s only until they’ve made their way into your walls that you’re likely to notice them.
Managing Termite Infestations
Termite infestations are best managed by professionals. While over-the-counter remedies do exist, you want to ensure that the problem is solved, not reduced. Reducing the problem may lower the population of termites, but unless you eradicate the entire nest, they’ll regain their numbers and come right back.
You want to act quickly, however, to mitigate the amount of damage termites will do to your home. Below, we’ll discuss how Pointe Pest Control handles serious termite infestations.
Identifying Termites
Termites and ants are closely related—as closely as humans and chimpanzees. They share a lot of the same DNA but are two different species. Quite often, termites are misidentified as ants.
You can tell the difference between termites and ants in a couple of different ways. Firstly, termites tend to be light colored and their bodies appear slightly translucent. White ants, on the other hand, tend to appear more solid. The best way to tell the difference is by taking a look at their thorax and abdomen.
If you can’t remember from high school what parts of the insect body a thorax or an abdomen are, this will be a refresher. Insect bodies are composed of three parts: The head, the thorax, and the abdomen. Those three parts come all in a row. The head goes first, the thorax is the midsection, and the abdomen is the insect’s butt.
Ants tend to have clearly defined thoraxes and abdomen whereas with termites, it’s more difficult to tell where the thorax ends and the abdomen begins.
If you’re still not sure whether you have an ant or termite problem, just kill one and bring it to us and we’ll identify it for you.
