Everything You Need To Know About a Termite Infestation

There are plenty of ways that you can do to get rid of a termite infestation but nothing beats a professional pest control company like Harmony Pest Solutions they can help you get rid of any pest infestation in your home. Here at Harmony Pest Solutions, we will be sharing an article about everything you need to know about termite infestation. If you have a problem with a termite infestation, we encourage you to keep reading below to find out more information. 

If you have a suspicion that you have a termite infestation in your home, you must immediately do something about it. Some of the tell-tale signs that you have termites in your home are you have found out that you have hollow-sounding wood and mud tubes in different areas in your home.

Once you find out that there are termites in your home, you must spring into action immediately as termites are known to cause a lot of damage even before you realize that they are in your home. A lot of homeowners have to spend a lot of money every year on termite control and repair in their homes. 

The most effective way to get rid of a termite infestation is to hire a professional pest control company. They are professionals who have the skills, experience, and knowledge on how to get rid of pests such as termites. They also use the appropriate products and equipment to ensure that the termite infestation will be dealt with properly.

What are the different termite species? 

Before a treatment method is chosen to get rid of the termites, it is important to know which type of termites you are dealing with. Here are the four most common termite species in the USA. 

1. Dampwood termites – This species of termites infest wood that has a high moisture content. They are much larger compared to other termite species. They do not attack structures because that have low moisture content. Dampwood termites are commonly found in Pacific coastal and nearby states, the desert or semi-arid southwest and southern part of the state of Florida. 

2. Drywood termites – This species of termites infest dry wood. They do not require contact with the soil like other termite species such as Subterranean and Formosan termites. They do not need mud tubes to travel. They are 1/8-1/2 inch in length and varies in color. The termites that damage the wood are white, while the winged termites are yellow-tan to light brown.

They are commonly seen building their nests in roof materials and wood wall supports. They can also infest deadwood that is found near homes. They can also be found in wood structures near a water source such as basements, a broken pipe, or a water heater. They are found in Southern states such as North Carolina towards the Gulf Coast and coastal areas like California. Their colonies can have up to 2,500 members. 

3. Formosan termites – This species of termites are known to have originated from China. They are known to be the most aggressive and voracious termite species. They are organized in large underground colonies and they can create intricate mud nests on the interior parts of the walls of a wooden structure. They are quite difficult to control once they are found to infest a structure. They are commonly found in different states such as North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Texas, and other states.

4. Subterranean termites – This species of termites can be found in the USA except for the state of Alaska. They live underground, soil, and compost piles around the home. They create mud tubes made from mixed wood and soil to find food sources and keep them safe from open air. They are considered the most catastrophic termite species found in the United States. 

Subterranean termites can cause more damage because they have saw-toothed jaws. If left on their own, they are capable of fully collapsing a building and other structures. They are known for being responsible for 95 percent of termite damage in the United States. They are 1/8 to 3/8 inch in length and have a narrow body. Their color varies and may depend on their class.

Worker termites have a pale cream color, while soldier termites have the same color but their heads are brown. They have two reproductive termites. The primary reproductive termites are brown or black, while supplementary reproductive termites are creamy white. Their colony can have up to 2 million members.

Do you know how to identify a termite infestation?

If you are not an expert you might probably not know how to properly identify a termite infestation. Here are some ways you can identify that your home has been invaded by termites.

Mud tubes – Made from mud and wood, mud tubes are used by most termite species to get to a food source. It can be found on the exterior part of the home.

Hollow wood – If you tap or knock on a wood you will hear a hollow sound. You can use a screwdriver into the wood if it easily goes in, that means there is a termite infestation. 

Strange sounds inside the walls – You may hear an unusual clicking sound coming from the inside of the walls. When soldier termites perceive a threat, they will let the other termites know by knocking their heads on the wood and shaking their bodies. You may also hear chewing sounds; this can be evidence that the termites are eating the wood inside the wall. 

Discarded wings – Subterranean termites are known to discard their wings and can be found in piles. If you see a bunch of discarded wings near the door or windows this can be an indication that the termites have entered your home. 

Uneven, peeling, or bubbling paint – Termites can damage the drywall of the home. This can allow moisture to enter the space in between the paint and the wall thus causing the paint to become uneven, peel, or bubble. 

Presence of small piles of frass or termite droppings – Termite droppings are small, granular, and oval pellets that are commonly found near wooden door frames, baseboards, or windows. 

Spotting live termites – You may come across some live termites; you must make sure to tell them apart from flying ants. The rear wings of the termites are of the same size, their abdomens are thick, and their antennae are straight. While the ants’ wings have different sizes, their abdomens are thinner, and their antennae are bent. 

Blistering or darkening of wood – Wooden structures can bend and sag when there is a termite infestation. Termites are known to devour wood from the inside out. 

How to handle a termite infestation

Once you have confirmed that your home has a termite infestation, you must choose a company that offers pest control services. 

Here are some of the ways to get rid of termites.

1. Non-chemical treatments – This is a method of getting rid of termites without using insecticides. 

Physical barrier – This can be done during the construction of the structure. Steel mesh and sand have been used as physical barriers against termites. 

Biological control agents – This method uses nematodes and fungi to get rid of the termites. Segmented roundworms are known to be natural parasites against different garden pests such as termites. 

2. Chemical treatments – The pesticides used for the treatment or prevention of termite infestation are known as termiticides. Termiticide application can only be done by a professional pest control company. The following treatments are approved for use. 

• Liquid soil-applied termiticides
• Termite bait
• Building materials applied with termiticides
• Wooden structure treatments 

The most common treatments for termites are termite baits and conventional barrier treatments.

Termite bait – Bait systems have been established to help lessen the extensive use of insecticides as they can affect human health and the environment. Termite baits are one of these systems that use cellulose baits that have slow-acting insecticides. 

The most common ingredients used in termite baits are the following:

• Diflubenzuron – It prevents the development of the insect
• Hexaflumuron – A reduced-risk pesticide. Commonly used for termite inspection, baiting system, and monitoring.
• Lufenuron – Growth regulator on insects. Commonly used for termite and flea control. 
• Noviflumuron – It prevents the growth and activity of termites.

Wood treatment – This method uses borates as a spray-on application during the construction of buildings and structures to prevent termite infestation.

Conventional barrier treatments – Soil-applied barrier treatment is the most common method used to treat a termite infestation. This method can only be done by pest control companies because if the method is done incorrectly, the treatments can contaminate the home and even the surrounding water sources and will not work properly against the termite infestation. 

The most common active ingredients in conventional barrier treatments are the following:

• Acetamiprid – A neonicotinoid insecticide, high doses can be toxic to humans
• Bifenthrin –  A pyrethroid insecticide, affects the nervous system of the termites 
• Chlorfenapyr – A novel broad-spectrum insecticide
• Fipronil – A broad-spectrum insecticide, affects the central nervous system of the termites
• Imidacloprid – A neonicotinoid, it is a class of neuro-active insecticides, affects the central nervous system of the termites
• Permethrin – An insecticide belonging to the pyrethroid family. It binds to the sodium channels of the nerves of the termites leading to paralysis and death. 

If you are searching for OKC Pest Control companies, make sure to choose a reliable company like Harmony Pest Solutions. If you are interested to know more about our services, please click this link. 

If you have any questions or inquiries about our services please fill up this contact form here. You can also request a quote for our services. 

Are you searching for a company offering pest control services? If you are based in Oklahoma City, you must check out Harmony Pest Solutions. We are located in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma City. We are offering our services in nearby areas such as Canadian County, Cleveland County, Logan County, and Mcclain County.

If you are interested to hire us for our services, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can give us a call at (405) 285-0018 or send an email at harmonyokc@gmail.com. We are located at 16307 Sonoma Park Drive, Suite #6 Edmond, OK 73013. What are you waiting for? Call us today! We will you help get rid of any type of pest infestation in your home.