Termite Control In Dallas
FREE TERMITE INSPECTIONS AND ESTIMATES!
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TERMIDOR- product of choice
Since it's introduction, nothing has provided a better liquid treatment than Termidor. Termidor is our product of choice for termite control. It has been extensively tested, and in test after test it has provided 100% control of termites in 3 months or less.
A few reasons why we use Termidor ...
* Termidor is one of the most tested termite control products on the market.
* Termidor has proved 100% effective in all soil types, and against different species of termites, such as Eastern Subterranean and Formosan termites.
* Termidor doesn't move from the treated site.
* The active ingredient (Fipronil) was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency to be applied as a flea treatment directly on pets at a concentration nearly 200 times stronger than what we use for termites. Fipronil is topically applied to dogs at 9.7% (Front Line, Top Spot), whereas termite applicators apply Termidor in the soil aaround your foundations at the much lower concentration of .06% to .12%. A very safe application rate for your family home.
TERMITE CHARACTERISTICS
Size: Worker: 1/8- to 3/8-inch in length. Soldier: Body is similar to that of the worker, but large, deck head with powerful mandibles. Supplementary Reproductive: About one inch in length. Primary Reproductive: About one inch in length.
Color: Worker: Pale, cream colored. Soldier: Light colored with brown head. Supplementary Reproductive: Light colored. Primary Reproductive: Dark brown/black.
Soldiers have an elongated head with pincer-like mandibles. Supplementary Reproductives have either no wings or very short non-functional wings, while Primary Reproductives have four wings of equal size until they are shed. Primary Reproductives are the termites most often seen in the open. They are commonly referred to as "swarmers."
Behavior – This termite is known to swarm in spring, but small flights can occur at any time of the year. Swarming is the visible means that termites use to establish new colonies. As the colony grows, specialized castes are produced for the different tasks required. One caste produced is the workers. Another caste is the soldiers. And a third caste is the reproductives. Primary reproductives swarm and start new colonies. They are called alates or swarmers. Although thousands of primary reproductives may be produced each year, they all leave the nest. Supplementary reproductives, on the other hand, can become reproductive only in the colonies in which they were born. They assist the primary king and queen in population growth of the colony.
Habitat – Subterranean termites live in colonies in the ground, building vertical tunnels that look like mud tubes above ground level so that they can search for food. Because subterranean termites will die if exposed to air for an extended period of time, the tunnels provide protection from the open air, allowing workers to carry food to the nest. Subterranean termites can form tunnels through cracks in concrete, so slab homes are not exempt from these termites. They need to stay in contact with the soil in order to survive, unlike drywood termites that only need low moisture.
Tips for Control – There are several things a homeowner can do which can help prevent termite infestations or make them easier to detect.
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Store firewood away from the house.
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Make sure at least four inches of the foundation can be seen all around the home. Siding should not extend into the soil. Mulch and soil should not touch the siding.
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Make sure water drains away from the foundation to ensure water does not accumulation. Rain gutters are ideal; however, the downspout should direct the water away from the home.
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Roof or plumbing leaks can allow termites to survive above ground in a house. These should be corrected as soon as possible.
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The Difference Between Termites and Ants
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Flying ants and swarming termites are often difficult to tell apart.
Termites have relatively straight, beadlike antennae while ants have elbowed antennae. Termites have two pair of wings (front and back) that are of almost equal length. Ants also have two pair of wings but the fore wings are much larger than the hind wings. The abdomen of the termite is broadly joined to the thorax while the abdomen and thorax of the ant are joined by a narrow waist called a petiole.
The bodies of termite swarmers are black while ant swarmers may be brown, black or red. Termite swarmers are typically much smaller than ant swarmers and have a much shorter life span out of the soil. In addition, termite swarmers have straight antennae, no constriction at the waist and both pairs of wings are equal in size. Swarmers do not destroy wood and cause no problems outside the home. Inside, swarmers are certainly a nuisance but more importantly, they are alerting you to a potential termite problem.
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Call us today for your free estimate. I am Mike Reibly,the owner, and I will be directly involved in the process of protecting your home from termites. I must put my reputation behind the Mayday warranty on all of our termite work so I want to be certain that it is completed correctly.
Call 972-353-2200 and schedule your free inspection today
General Termite Information
Subterranean Termites live up to 20 feet underground in colonies throughout the United States. Southern states typically have higher termite concentrations. Termite pressure in the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex ranges from heavy to very heavy.
Termites are social insects which means they rely upon each individual in the colony for survival. Termites need cellulose (typically wood) moisture and warmth to survive. A colony consists of a Queen, King, Soldiers, Workers and Reproductives. Typical colonies contain around 250,000 workers although studies have found colonies with over 1 million workers. New colonies are formed when winged reproductive females and males emerge from a mature colony (four to five years old) and take flight. These termites are commonly called swarmers. After a short flight the swarmer returns to the ground, drops it's wings and searches for a mate, preferably from a different parent colony. When mates are found the termites dig a chamber and close the opening. After mating the queen lays typically lays less than fifty eggs the first season. The new workers that hatch enlarge the chambers and collect cellulose for food. The queen's only job from that point forward is to lay eggs which hatch after incubation of 50-60 days. She may live up to 25 years.
Worker termites are the most common caste found when examining a colony. Workers probe blindly through the soil looking for cellulose materials. In nature, termites help maintain our forests but when probing termites find your home their benefits seem less worthwhile. Termite workers eat cellulose material and exchange the food and nutrients by mouth (called trophallaxis) with colony members including the King and Queen. Termite workers also groom each other resulting in the transfer of soil, wood particles, fungal spores, and chemical pheromones that maintain the social organization within the colony. Subterranean termites nest underground because they need protection from light and dry air. When workers need to cross substrates such as a concrete slab they will construct mud tubes from the soil. Workers can build as much as 1" of tube in an hour using soil particles and salivary secretions. Termites will repair broken tubes quickly if the tube is being used. Mud tubes are a good indication of a termite problem. Destroying the tubes will not eliminate the infestation.
What do Termites Attack
Termites feed on products containing cellulose. Termite jaws are hard allowing them to shear off micro particles of wood one piece at a time. While termites are very beneficial to our environment, they are serious problem for structures. Estimates vary but it is clear that termites cause millions of dollars in damage to structures every year.
What Termites Eat
- structural beams
- cabinets
- wood paneling
- baseboards
- wood flooring
- wallpaper
- plastics
- sheet rock
- paper products
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Termites can also attack carpeting, books, furniture, art work and any type of paper documents.
A colony consisting of 250,000 workers can consume approximately 1 cubic foot of wood or up to 20 linear feet of a 2x4 piece of wood in one year under certain conditions. Termites typically will not leave a home once they have infested it.
Swarming Termites
Termite reproductives form new colonies through "swarming". The swarming termites develop during winter months. Usually in the spring during warm and humid weather, worker termites will build special tubes called "swarming castles" and prod the swarmers out for mating. Swarming typically last for around 30 minutes. Although these reproductive termites are a nuisance, they are actually doing homeowners a favor. In many cases, swarming termites are the first signs that a home is infested with termites. Because termites can destroy wood completely out of our sight year round, these winged termites are an important signal. Swarmers do not cause any damage. Their purpose is to start new colonies. Indoor swarmers will die within a few hours therefore we do not recommend the use of pesticides. You should wait until they die, then you can sweep or vacuum them up. Very seldom are indoor swarmers successful in starting a new colony (termites must find sufficient moisture inside the structure).
Avoid A Big Mistake...
Sometimes termites swarm inside your home just briefly, die and then you do not see them again. Some people make the mistake of thinking the termites went away or maybe the pesticide they sprayed where the swarmers were emerging solved the problem. Sorry to say it is not that easy. Swarmers only emerge briefly during the right environmental (temperature, light and moisture) conditions. You may not see them again until the next year. However, the worker termites in the colony will still be feeding on your home if they are present like the swarmers suggest.
Call us today for your free estimate. I am Mike Reibly,the owner, and I will be directly involved in the process of protecting your home from termites. I must put my reputation behind the Mayday warranty on all of our termite work so I want to be certain that it is completed correctly.
termites in Lewisville !
Call 972-353-2200 and schedule your
free termite inspection today!
Termites in Coppell ? Termites in Carrollton ? Termites in Flower Mound ? Call us !
Damage: Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Dead trees and brush are the original food source of subterranean termites. When land is cleared of this material and houses are built on these sites, termites attack the structures. Termites can enter buildings through wood in direct contact with the soil, by building shelter tubes over or through foundations, or by entering directly through cracks or joints in and under foundations.
Habitat: Subterranean termites have a cryptobiotic or "hidden" lifestyle. This means that they are always hidden from our view either beneath the surface of the soil, beneath the surface of the wood, or in their mud tunnels. This cryptobiotic nature contributes to their success in invading human structures. The termites enter our buildings from beneath the soil surface and forage within the wood. We usually do not detect their presence until damage becomes evident or termite swarming takes place. Often we have no idea how the termites got into our home. This can make it very difficult to control them. The following are descriptions of how termites typically invade structures, building practices that encourage termite attack, and how you can detect the signs of termite infestation.
Breeding: The sudden, dramatic appearance of alate termites is commonly referred to as swarming, and when it occurs indoors is often one of the first signs of a structural infestation. Subterranean termites swarm in an attempt to initiate new colonies. Termites are opportunistic-a trait most aptly demonstrated by the variety of developmental options available to this small, delicate social insect. The ultimate caste, or life form, of an immature termite is not determined at the egg stage. Each newly hatched termite can develop into any one of a number of castes. These complexities are highlighted by the subterranean termite life cycle . A worker can remain a worker for its entire life span (estimated range from 1-4 years) as it undergoes numerous molts (sheds its skin) without changing into another caste. Alternatively, a worker can molt twice, where it first becomes a pre-soldier, then subsequently a soldier. The soldier caste can no longer molt and is considered a terminal (final) stage.
Worker termites can also develop into winged, adult termites (alates), but they must first pass through an intermediate stage called the nymphal stage. Nymphs can ultimately molt into sexually mature, fully winged adult male or female alates.
Nymphal termites are also capable of a unique developmental pathway wherein they sometimes undergo a regressive molt and lose their wing buds, thereby reverting back to the worker stage. These workers are called pseudergates.
A colony may contain several types of neotenic reproductives. Secondary (second form) reproductives develop from nymphs, and are therefore characterized by the presence of small wing buds. Tertiary (third form) reproductives develop from workers and hence lack wing buds.
The developmental flexibility of termites plays a key role in their ability to disperse and establish new, functional colonies when infested materials are transported to new locations. Additionally, neotenic reproductives may develop functional colonies inside buildings, but only if adequate moisture is available inside the structure.
Treatment: Treatment for termites is complex and requires the knowledge of a trained professional. We offer free inspections for termite activity. Your Termite Inspector can also give you information about proactively monitoring your home for potential termite
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined.
Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. Subterranean termites are the most destructive insect pests of wood in the United States. They cause more than $2 billion in damages each year, more property damage than that caused by fire and wind storms combined. |
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