Termite Control

If you are reading this page then you may well be suspecting a colony of termites has moved into your home. If this is the case then you have come to the right place and your next step should be to contact the professionals. They are trained to evaluate the extent of your problem and advise you on your best course of action.

Termites are tiny little insects attracted to water and wood. Termites are quite destructive and have been known to cause considerable damage to residential buildings, farm buildings, crops and plantation forests. They readily chew through vinyl, linoleum, and underground cables and can wreak havoc on wood. Nevertheless, they are also very important to the conservation of the environment because they themselves are food for many predators and they also recycle nutrients in the soil and they hollow out timber to provide shelter for other small creatures and birds.

Termites are commonly referred to as ‘White Ants’ because of their pale, white bodies and perhaps because like ants, they live in colonies of several hundred to several million individuals and work together to get tasks done. However, they are in no way actually related to Ants but are in fact more closely related to cockroaches.

A termite colony consists of the following selection of termites: nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both genders, with the addition of several egg-laying queens. The colony is self-organised and together they work to exploit food sources and build nests, which could never be achieved by each of them individually.

The termite workers construct nests for the colony using a mixture of soil, mud, chewed wood/cellulose, saliva, and faeces. The termite nest has many purposes; as well as a protective living space for its inhabitants; it is also designed to collect water through condensation. There are specially built chambers for reproduction and many tunnels for air to flow through and allow the termites to travel about. The termite nests are most usually built underground inside big pieces of wood or fallen trees. Some termites prefer to build a mound above ground in which they nest instead. These mounds are then used by other creatures after the termites have departed.

A colony of termites may include a few termite ‘Queens’ and each of these ‘Queens’ will reproduce. Female termites can produce an incredible number of eggs, even as many as two thousand per day. These eggs will sit in the queen’s abdomen, extending her size considerably and deterring her ability to walk. This is where the colony again pitches in and attends to her needs.

It is the wood-burrowing termites that are most bothersome to home owners. Because termites live together in colonies and can multiply at rapid rates, it is vital that you extinguish the entire colony as quickly as possible if you want to free your home from their existence.

The primary step for termite control in shielding a house is to prevent termites from gaining access in the first place. This is achieved by placing a barrier below or around the house. You should keep all perimeter walls, foundations, slabs, patios and flowerbeds free from clutter and unnecessary debris. You can get treatment for wood that will deter termites from making a home there and you can also buy pre-treated or naturally resistant timber for any garden furniture or wooden objects that will be put in close proximity to soil. Wood is the main staple in a termite’s diet, so remove all unnecessary wood from your garden. This includes old tree trunks or stumps, leftover building materials, ornamental sleepers and logs.

Termites are also attracted to water so you should ensure your property does not have any leaks or dripping taps. The worst time of year for termite activity is early spring to late summer.

In the unfortunate circumstance that you have found an infestation of termites in your property, please try to remain calm. The chances are those termites will have already been there a little while, so another day or two is not going to make a very big difference. However, it is vital that you take measures to eradicate them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Otherwise, the damage they can do will certainly get worse and then you really would be facing a panic situation.

When you are trying to eradicate a colony of termites it is imperative that you kill the reproductive kings and queens, otherwise they will continue to reproduce and your infestation will be reintroduced in no time. Your local pest control professionals, are the best contact when your home is under threat of a termite invasion because they know exactly how to go about tackling them and can boast years of experience in dealing with this very problem.

If the thought of all these termites invading your home is giving you sleepless nights and making you uncomfortable, you should consider the fact that in some countries termites are actually eaten as food by humans.

You can of course try to tackle the termite invasion yourself, with products bought from DIY stores specifically for termite removal such as Bait or Termiticide. These products do work and this may appear to be a cheaper option but in the long run it is probably not going to be nearly as effective as having your home inspected and cleared by a termite control company. This is because one of the most effective ways to combat a termite infestation is by fully understanding how they work, this includes which areas of your home they will be most attracted to and how they react to different treatments. Obviously most people are not equipped with this knowledge and that’s another reason it’s a better idea to get in the professionals, plus when attempting to deal with the termites yourself, you won’t have the assured peace of mind that the problem has been entirely dealt with.