Termite control can be difficult to achieve if you do not have experience dealing with these destructive bugs. Termites can cause a lot of problems around your property if they are not dealt with in a timely manner.
At Peace of Mind Pest Control, our number-one goal is to help make controlling termites and other pests around your home as stress-free as possible. We are a locally owned company that has been providing pest control in Modesto for close to two decades. Here is a look at everything you need to know about finding the most effective termite control solution for your home.
The Life Cycle Of A Termite Colony
Every termite colony starts with a king and a queen. These two termites essentially only have one job: to reproduce. A queen termite is capable of laying one egg every three seconds and could lay over ten million eggs in one year.
Once the egg has hatched, a larva will emerge. The larva has a worm-like body with no eyes or limbs. In an advanced colony, it is up to the workers to feed these baby termites to ensure they reach adulthood. However, if the queen and king have just started their new colony, the responsibility of feeding the young termites will lie solely on the king’s soldiers. Once they have reached adulthood, termites become workers, soldiers, or reproductives. However, the vast majority become workers and soldiers.
When one colony starts to become too big, the queen will produce several reproductive termites, known as alates. When the alates reach adulthood, they will grow a pair of wings and will fly away from the colony. These winged termites’ job is to find a mate and start their own colony. Once they have mated, they will discard their wings and become the king and queen of the new colony.
Unsubtle Signs Of Termite Damage
Even when you have advanced infestations of termites in your home, you are unlikely to see these small bugs. Aside from the alates that emerge from the nest, most termites in Modesto stay hidden inside the wood they infest and are great at hiding and staying out of the sight of humans. If you are unsure whether or not you have termites, look for these signs:
- Small holes about the size of a tip of a pen around your home
- Termite swarmers around your property
- Discarded wings on your window sills and around your doors
- Piles of termite droppings called frass, that look like shredded sawdust
Subterranean termites are also commonly found in this area. They prefer warm and moist areas and usually build their nest underground. If you have this species around your home, you may also find long mud tubes around the outside of your home.
The Hassles And Hazards Of DIY Termite Control
Do-it-yourself termite treatments rarely work. They are not usually designed to treat a specific termite problem. Not all termites respond to the same type of treatment. For example, if you have subterranean termites, you should apply the treatment to the soil. Most of the pesticides that you get in stores are not designed to stay potent when mixed in with wet and muddy ground.
Contact The Pros For Total Termite Control For Your Home
Termites are destructive pests that require immediate attention in order to minimize damage to your home. At Peace of Mind Pest Control, we understand that every termite problem is different. That is why we will thoroughly inspect your home and property and come up with a customized termite control plan that is designed to target the specific types of termites in your home. Give us a call today to make your Modesto home termite-free once again!
