Termites or white ants are small, pale and soft-bodied insects that feed mainly on wood. They reside in large colonies and are categorized according to numerous castes.
These insects cause heavy destruction to trees and timber. One of the castes that the termites belong to is the king or soldier caste.
The ants that belong to this group take the responsibility to protect their colony.
The body of these insects is built to bestrong enough to defend their colonies by resisting the enemies from invading into their groups. They allow only the worker termites to invade their colonies.
Since the soldier termites constantly work to guard their colonies, they have larger head and mandibles that those of worker category.However, if someone is making a first attempt to figure out the difference, it would be quite a difficult task.
Contents
- 1 How Harmful Are They?
- 2 Termite Treatment And Inspection through the pest control companies
- 3 Identify, Treat, exterminate and prevention steps
- 3.1 Termite Prevention And Removal Tips
- 3.2 Signs of termite existence
- 3.3 How to tell if you have termites or carpenter ants?
- 3.4 Protecting your furniture/ wood from termite infestation
- 3.5 How to get rid of flying termites in house?
- 3.6 The Termite Foggers and Bombs
- 3.7 List of Pest Control/Termite Inspection companies
- 4 Cost Involved in Termite Extermination And Treatment
- 5 Act immediately when you sense infestation
How Harmful Are They?
Do termites bite?
The simple answer to the question is ‘yes’. However, the sense would be almost negligible. In case if you feel that the insect has bitten you then, it is clearly understandable that the termite has given you the maximum possible pain from its side Or else, the other reason could be that the insect that has bitten you might not have been a termite.
At the first place, termites don’t prefer to bite humans or pets and they show interest to reside in dark and secret places and hence make tunnels within wood.
Hence they make no or negligible noise. Once they are comfortable with the place, they tend to develop the size of their colonies and feed on cellulose within wood.
How dangerous are the bites of a termite?
The termite bites are neither painful nor dangerous to humans or animals.
Their bites leave a small red bump which may give the feel of a mild pinch.
In rare cases, the area might itch for few days. The bites leave very few symptoms and are not known to carry any hazards or diseases.
If you sense that the bite has worsened your personal health condition, then it is sure that you are most probably not bitten by the termite.
In such situations, you might need to see a doctor immediately to avoid anything risky.
Do flying termites bite?
The termites of the flying type have wings and are often referred to as the winged termites or the termite swarmer.
Termites of these type are reproductive and often swarm through the windows of a house, especially preceding to a thunder storm.
Though these insects reside in large colonies, they tend not to bite humans or animals. They fly around and might lie on your skin.
They will not tend to bite until you do not tend to provoke or disturb them. If they sense that you are causing them disturbance by pressing or hitting them, they might bite you.
What do the termites eat?
In general, termites feed on wood. To be honest, they feed on cellulose that the wood is actually made of.
It is the organic compound which is abundantly found on earth.
The plant cell walls are made of this compound, and is one of the important material found in humans.
It is present in its original form in its original form as building materials and is also found in refined paper and food that we take in our daily diet.
Though they mainly feed on cellulose, they need symbiotic microorganisms like fungi and protozoa in their digestive tract to receive nutrition from the food.
Apart from this, the termites can chew any material that is softer than its mandibles like foam, dry walls, thin lead sheets, plastic etc.
How Do They Spread?
The termites reside in several castes and several huge colonies. The colonies often spread through the swarming process. The lifespan of these insects is quite short but work active to participate in the swarming procedure to improve the size of their colonies.
Termite Treatment And Inspection through the pest control companies
Who pays for termite inspection?
Usually, the buyer bears the initial expenditure for pest inspection as part of the closing costs. If there are any repair works, then the seller bears the payment charges.
However, things might change as per the mutual agreement of both the seller and the buyer. The agreed norms are always noted down in a purchase agreement document.
Typically, the agent from the buyer’s side will make arrangements for the inspection. The agent coordinates with the owner of the termite inspection site and the company.
During inspection, the termite inspectors checks both inside and outside area of the home for the termites. The inspected details will be noted down and handed over to the company. Similar copy of it will be given to the buyer as well.
Some of the best termite exterminating companies from different places are mentioned in the table below, along with the address and contact details.
| Name of the Company | State | Address | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| KANE Exterminating Corp | Long Island, New York | Kane Exterminating Corporation 153 W. Main Street Kings Park, NY 11754-2603 (631) 269-0840 | Toll Free: 888-504-1128 |
| Daytons Pest Control | Knoxville, Tennessee | Knoxville, TN, United States | +1 865-588-6686 |
| RANGER TERMITE & PEST CONTROL | Houston, Texas | PO Box 801162 Houston, TX 77280 Spring Branch | (713) 937-1461 |
| Arrow Exterminators, Inc | Oklahoma City, Oklahama | 300 S Broadway St Moore, OK, United States | +1 405-912-4337 |
| Arceneaux Pest Management Service, Inc | Baton Rouge, Los Angels | 532 S River Rd, Denham Springs, LA 70726 | (225) 791-9911 |
| Hickmans Termite and Pest Control | Richmond, Virginia | Hickmans Termite & Pest Control 2201-C Dickens Road Richmond Virginia, 23230 | 804-282-8957 |
| Jacksonville Exterminator, Pest Control & Termite Inspector | Jacksonville, Florida | 11200 Saint Johns Industrial Pkwy S Jacksonville, FL 32246 | Phone: (877) 250-1652 Fax: (904) 645-6813 |
| 5 Star Termite & Pest Control Inc | Tucson, Arizona | 1002 S Pantano Rd Tucson, AZ 85710 | (520) 886-0045 |
| Orkin Pest and Termite Control | Charlotte, North Carolina | 6101 Harris Technology Blvd Charlotte, NC 28269 | 844-246-2699 |
Identify, Treat, exterminate and prevention steps
Termite Prevention And Removal Tips
Some of the tips to remove or eliminate termites, were defined by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and these are safe and effective.
Once the termite colonies are established, there are no proper DIY methods to remove them. All you can try is to follow methods to prevent them. If a colony is already established then, you need to take the help of professionals.
- Try to avoid moisture formation in and around the residential surroundings and this creates an unfavorable climate for the termites.
- Ensure that there is no leakage in water pipes, exterior AC units, faucets etc. and repair them if found.
- Make proper downspouts, splash blocks and gutters to divert the waste waters from your house.
- Make a regular inspection of the foundation of your house to find if there are any mud tubes or bubbling paint on the walls.
- Make regular checks by tapping the wood to see if you can sense any hollow.
- Always ensure that the wood portions of your home are at least 18 inches above the soil level.
- Always schedule for a professional inspection on a yearly basis.
- Repair rotted roof shingles, fascia and soffits as and when required.
- Examine the outer surface of windows, door frames, wood furniture, and skirting boards to find any noteworthy changes.
- If you do not want the colonies to spread into your house, store the firewood at least 20 feet away from your house.
Signs of termite existence
Though it is difficult to identify the termite attack in the early stages, you can still anticipate if you can recognize the symptoms.
The droppings of the termites are termed as ‘frass’, will always be visible in case of termite infestation.
It is a fine powdery structure and resembles sawdust. However, the color might vary with the type of termite.
So, if you find loads of sawdust in your home, then you can doubt the case as the termite infestation. This material can be found in your furniture, yard or dry walls.
How to tell if you have termites or carpenter ants?
Carpenter ants nest in wood and will be capable enough to damage the complete structure in a severe manner. When left untreated, the situation might become worse.
These pests too live in colonies and sometimes they develop satellite nests. In such cases, professional service would be effective.
Termites take nutrition from the wood by feeding on cellulose while the carpenter ants take no nutritional value.
They intend to make nest with wood and for that purpose, they damage the wood. By analyzing the type of damage, you can identify if the infestation is that of a termite or a carpenter ant.
A carpenter ant cleans and polishes its gallery of wood and thus the surface inside the damage appears smooth. In case of subterranean termites, you can see large amounts of mud and soil.
Though the worker carpenter ants expel the unwanted debris through the holes, the appearance of debris is not in a consistent shape. When it comes to drywood termites, the fecal pellets from the debris are of same size and shape.
It should be noted that though the carpenter ants are not as effecting as the termites in damaging the furniture, when their infestation is left untreated, a significant damaged can be caused over a period of few years.
Protecting your furniture/ wood from termite infestation
To protect your valuable furniture and wood from the termite infestation, you need to follow the following steps:
- Try to investigate the areas on the wood that is infected. Try to find how big the damage has occurred.
- Eliminate the existing termites. This can be done in various methods and all of them are not permanent. If you feel that you are not capable enough to deal with them, then approach a professional who can do the work for you.
- Once you are sure that the infected areas are treated properly, try to repair the damage so that the structure of the furniture is not degraded. Treat the wood with required chemicals and sprays for prevention from future attacks.
- Use safe and effective pesticides like Permethrin to permanently get rid of the termite attacks.
How to get rid of flying termites in house?
If you come across flying termites in your house, you can hit and kill them in a normal way. Also, you can make use of a vacuum cleaner to clean them up. Another method is to make use of liquid insecticide spray on the winged termites to kill them.
If you find flying termites, then you can doubt the existence of an active colony in the nearby surroundings. In such cases, killing the swarmers alone will not resolve your issues. In such cases, you need to successfully execute the complete termite colony.
You need to spray safe and effective liquid insecticides in the affected areas like property foundation, holes or cracks within the walls etc.
The best method is to place baits in the soil that surrounds the foundation of your house. In a baiting system, each bait is generally separated by 1 foot.
The Termite Foggers and Bombs
Termite or pesticide foggers, often termed as bug bombers, can be made available from a grocery and hardware store.
Though these products are believed to be effective, they don’t prove to be perfect in most of the cases.
These foggers are liquid insecticides and are dispensed from aerosol can that is highly pressurized.
Tiny drops of insecticide is distributed to mix with air and the chemical remains with air for a short time before it obeys the gravitational force of law.
Sometimes, the bombs disperse throughout the surface of your home that appears as if you have coated your home and its belongings with bug bombs.
In such cases, you never know if the bomb has really reached the termite or not. Thus, foggers are not as effective as fumigants, which are gases but not liquids.
These gases penetrate into the air and into the affected areas like wood to offer a perfect result.
However, fumigation process can be operated only by the professionals as it needs a very good skill to be performed.
List of Pest Control/Termite Inspection companies
Termite inspection companies offer various types of services and insurance policies to control the termite infestation. They work to help you with regular maintenance for a specific period of time. Here is the list of some of the pest control companies and their contact details for your reference:
| Name of the Company | State | Address | Contact Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Notch Termite Co Inc | San Diego, California | 6041 Fairmount Ave San Diego, CA, United States | +1 619-282-8771 |
| Northwest Exterminating | Georgia | 193 Main St Alpharetta, GA, United States | +1 770-667-2323 |
| Phoenix Pest & Termite Control | Phoenix | 2911 N 26th Ave Phoenix, AZ, United States | +1 602-252-4212 |
| Orkin Pest & Termite Control | California | 3663 Arch Rd Stockton, CA, United States | +1 866-713-9979 |
| Pest Control Miami | Miami | 360 S Miami Ave #2206 Miami, FL, United States | +1 305-290-4295 |
| Ranger Termite & Pest Control Inc. | Austin | 7212 McNeil Dr Austin, TX, United States Asheville, NC, United States | +1 512-900-4236 |
| Florida Sun Termite and Pest Control | Florida | 2747 Crawfordville Hwy Crawfordville, FL, United States | +1 850-926-3062 |
| Western Exterminator Company | Las Vegas | 108 W Wyoming Ave Las Vegas, NV, United States | +1 702-386-2117 |
| Portland Exterminator, Pest Control & Termite Inspector - Orkin | Maine | 960 Riverside St, Portland, ME 04103, United States | +1 866-713-9979 |
| Holiday Termite & Pest Control | Virginia | Springfield Garden Shopping Center, 6715 Backlick Rd Springfield, VA, United States | +1 703-569-9333 |
Cost Involved in Termite Extermination And Treatment
What is the cost to exterminate the termites?
Usually, pest control companies make a free termite inspection before informing you about the estimation of the amount.
In general, the extermination of termites will cost around $500 to $1500. Sometimes, the cost can vary up to $4000, depending on the severity of the infestation.
If you want to renew the annual termite control contract, it might cost around $150 to $450.
Termite prevention cost
The cost of termite extermination is different from that of termite prevention. Prevention is to avoid the future attacks and it involves different types of treatments. The cost varies according to the treatments used in the process.
If you want to undergo Terminix Termite Protection plan, it might cost you around $300 per annum. This fee does not include any sort of preventative treatment. The plan includes the following:
- Certified yearly inspection of your home and assets.
- In case if the infestation is found, you will not be charged with any fee related to the termite control.
- If a new termite colony has damaged your assets, the repairs are done at free of cost as soon as the live activity is detected.
Dry wood termite control involves methods like spot wood treatment and structural fumigation. The costs vary according to the methods used, the brand of the service, the brand of the chemical etc.
The price varies from $50 to $2000 or sometimes even more, depending on the severity of the issue.
Many of the dry wood termite treating chemicals are available online and you can get them to do it yourself. However, if you are seeking for a professional, you will be charged with the service charges as well.
Termite damage and repair cost
The prices for treating any asset that has undergone the destruction through termites, will depend on the type and severity of the damage.
The treatment process involves time, labor, equipment, setup, material, preparing the treatment area, and cleanup.
On an average, the price varies from $220 to around $370 per structure.
Sometimes, the treatment cost might be calculated in a square feet area wise to get the accurate figure of estimation.
The termite treatment contract cost
Various contracts are designed to offer the customers with best termite control services.
Depending on the type of problem, the agents of the company can guide you with the contract model that best suits the requirement and turn out to be profitable to the customer.
The cost depends on the duration of the contract, types of services covered, how much the area is prone to termite infestation etc.
Such service agreements include initial inspection, termite control treatment process and annual inspections for the tenure.
On an average, the termite control contract programs cost around $1350 to $5000. Sometimes the price might cost beyond the said range, depending on other unexpected factors.
The termite bond charges
Termite bond is actually a service agreement or a contract between the pest management company and the site owner, which is mainly about offering an insurance that starts to be effective right after the pest inspection and treatment.
With the bond activated, the treatment charges due to recurrence of the issue is free of cost. The bond tenure is generally 5 years.
The price varies depending on various factors and is generally estimated only after the pre inspection of the site.
Act immediately when you sense infestation
The termites swarm healthily during the spring. They emerge to mate and develop huge and brand new colonies and these cause huge vulnerability to the affected residential properties.
In most of the cases, the damage goes unnoticed by the time the damage reaches severity.
Hence, it is important to keep a regular eye on the property and get enrolled in a proper pest control program with proper guidance.
