Pest Control Specialist

The task of this article is to discuss the three types of termites found in the USA in the hopes of helping you to acquire the skills necessary to identify termites types. This information is vital to you if you are interested in protecting your home and yard against unwanted invaders and getting rid of them before they cause damage to your property.

There are three basic types of termites: subterranean, dry wood, and Formosan. All three derive their food supply from cellulose which is found in wood and wood products. All three kinds also live in highly organized and socialized colonies. They also all share a common enemy ” ants.

Termites cause over three billion dollars in damage to houses and businesses every year. Of that amount, some 95% is the work of subterranean termites which live in the soil beneath your house. They travel to the surface for feeding through a complex system of tunnels which can usually be spotted by a competent professional.

Dry wood colonies live above the soil in dead trees, wood in houses and wood furniture. It is estimated that it may take up to two years to notice damage done by a colony after it has taken up residence. Formosan are late comers to the United States and are primarily in the Southern part of the country. They are subterranean pests which threaten homes and forests but are still distinguished from their underground cousins. Unlike the dry wood kind which only inhabits dead or dying trees, these insects from East Asia, which are believed to have been brought to this country by the U.S. Military after WWII, attack healthy trees.

It is a common misconception that termites are winged creatures. Only a certain segment of the colony actually sprout wings and fly ” what is called swarming, and these are usually referred to as alates. The purpose of the swarm is to find mates and set up new colonies.

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This article will explore some of the alternatives to termites treatment involving fumigation and insecticides which may not be familiar to many of us. Fumigation and insecticides, although widely used across the USA and many foreign countries, are much maligned in that they pose risks of danger to the health and safety of people and pets. In addition, these techniques of exterminating termites pose environmental concerns.

One such alternative which is said to interrupt the life cycle of termites is boric acid. Although some experts doubt its effectiveness in getting rid of large colonies, this system works by being dissolved in water and then spread over infected areas. Boric acid controls the population of the colony by preventing it from growing and most importantly, from moving on to other locations. This form of treatment is generally considered a preventive measure which contributes to the doubt expressed by some experts in using the product to get rid of an infestation.

Another method which sounds more like Star Wars, is microwaves which shoot rays into the wall or wood killing the pesky invaders in two to three days. This is a rather recent termite treatment method which is considered best when used against small infestations confined to a particular area.

Freezing is also sometimes used. Like microwaves, this process is effective in the early stages of infestations and where the problem is confined to small areas. Liquid nitrogen is pumped or sprayed into the affected areas, often through the tunnels constructed by the termites. Walls and insects are frozen, the former forever and the latter only for a brief time.

For larger colonies which are confined to a small area, electricity can be used. Electro-guns shoot high voltage electricity into the habitat of the colony. And finally, for large colonies in a large space, heat treatment should be considered, and in fact, in some states it is the only lawful alternative to fumigation where a large portion of the house is infected.

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While calling an expert is the best thing you can do to determine if your property has been invaded by termites, there are some preliminary steps you can take to inspect your house to determine whether or not it is infested. This article will discuss some of the more readily identifiable termite signs which signal an infestation. You not longer have to guess, now you can know.

One of the worst things about termite infestations is most of the time people do not discover the problem until the damage has been done and repair bills are in the thousands of dollars in addition to the cost of getting rid of the pesky pests. That is why you need to know what the signs are you should look for to determine if your property has been invaded. This is no joking matter since these insects cause billions of dollars in damages every year to businesses and homes.

One easy sign to look for, although usually only in the spring, are those little near transparent wings grouped along the floor or outside near trees or lawn furniture with wood trimmings or parts of the exterior that are wood. These wings are left behind by swarming pests. However, it may be difficult for you to determine whether the insects have arrived at your home or left it so if you see a grouping of wings, further investigation is needed.

You want to inspect these wings very closely as you want to avoid the mistake of thinking you have termites when in fact you have ants. You need to be very careful in this regard. Check with your local pest control board or agricultural extension office if you are not sure to which pest the wings belong.

One company wrote that if you knock on your wood and hear a tapping sort of answer that will be termites beating their heads against the wall to warn their colony of danger. The same company also advises that if you see dark or blistered coloring on your wood floor which can be scrapped away with a knife then you are in trouble.

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There are basically three types of termites: subterranean, dry wood, and Formosan. This article will discuss termites house of the first two species of these pesky pests. Such information is vital to you so that you will know how to identify which group of insects you are dealing with and thus get the proper treatment to get rid of them.

Subterranean termites live beneath the ground. They dig tunnels into the soil where they build their colony and then gnaw out tunnels to reach the ground for food which comes from wood. These are the type of pests you are faced when when the exterminator talks about drilling holes in your foundation or walls and pumping a pesticide through the hole and down through the tunnels to reach (hopefully) the colony.

No doubt, particularly if you live in California, you have seen the giant tents covering houses and businesses and signs posted around the structure warning you to stay away as “fumigation” is in progress. This is a sign of a dry wood termites infestation. These insects make their home in dead and dying wood and even furniture made of wood or wood products. Since they actually live in the wood, the worker termites have to push the waste of the colony out of their living quarters.

People sometimes confuse termites with ants — not knowing that the sole function of army termites is to fend off attacks by their fiercest rival, ants. All three species of these insects have a highly structured social order divided into different classes such as, queen, king, army, etc.

Alates is the class of termites shared by all three categories. These are the pesky pests who sprout wings in early spring and swarm. This is the ritual participated in only by alates who look for a mate and then go off to start a new colony. This strict social order of termites house is not the house that Jack built.

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Selecting termite services is sometimes as difficult as the problem you are trying to eradicate. But the selection process does not have to be so troublesome. There are some things you can do as well as some things to look out for which can help ease the burden of this process.

The starting point is with the employment of a professional, licensed, and properly trained termite inspector so that you will know the type of infestation you are faced with as not all products are suitable for every kind of termite infestation. As part of the inspection service, if your home is found to be infested, then the inspector will recommend a treatment methodology.

You should be concerned if your inspector recommends a specific company to you to employ to do the exterminating. Instead, if the inspector should give you a list of reputable firms and leave it up to you to decide which three you will invite to come out and give you a bid or estimate of the cost of their services. Should the inspector not give you such a list, then there is no need to worry. Just check with your local agricultural extension office or state pest control board. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau.

Avoid doing business with anyone who just happens to be in your neighborhood or just by chance stops by your home. Likewise, anyone who comes to your home uninvited and claims to have found termites in nearby houses or areas should be disregarded.

Another sign is lack of a listed telephone number which means the person or company lacks experience or is too cheap to afford a phone or is working out of their vehicle. Do not do business with anyone who does not have a listed telephone number and even then you want to verify the number. Also, avoid anyone who drives a vehicle other than a pest control truck with its state license duly visible on the truck.

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Life in all its forms is precious to Buddhists. This point is driven home in the movie, “Seven years In Tibet,” starring Brad Pitt who plays a character who is asked by the Dalai Lama to build a movie theater. One day work is suddenly halted when the workers dig into a colony of insects. The character played by Pitt, represents the Western view and he is less than pleased that work has been stopped.

The theater project is now on hold until the engineer comes across the idea of relocating the insects. This scene shows the seriousness with which many people take respect for life as well as for the environment. You may be one of these people who even when faced with the terrible problem of termite infestation, seek ways of termite removal in an environmentally friendly way. If you are such a person, then you should consider a baiting system.

There are many methods of termite removal depending on the type of pest at issue. Fumigation and insecticides are among the most popular forms of extermination. However, they are also the most environmentally threatening and many people try to avoid using them.

That is why a baiting system should be considered. Even here, there are several choices available. These systems work by setting bait traps in strategic locations and then allowing the termites to carry the bait back to the colony where it is ingested by the colony which eventually dies.

Although quite effective, there are times when some of these systems do cause environment concerns. One such instance is when they are used in conjunction with a termiticide. Further, one trade off for environmental concerns is convenience since these techniques require lots of attention. The exterminator must have specialized knowledge about the product and how to use it effectively. In addition, the system must be monitored which means the exterminator will have to make repeated visits to your home.

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They appear in various and sometimes surprising ways and places. I am talking about termite colonies and where you might discover their nests. Termite nest can be found inside wooden furniture, inside walls, high above the ground on the outside of trees, beneath trees, inside of trees, in wooden structures, below ground, above ground, and even in the middle of occupied space.

One such nest has generated a lot of press lately due to the circumstances surrounding its location and the design the nest has taken — both of which have created quite a stir in an otherwise quiet and remote area.

Some might take a skeptical view of accounts out of Phnom Penh, Cambodia where 56 year-old Kuong Keo Ry has claimed that termites have built five nests in the middle of her cement floor which are all in the shape of a sitting Buddha and rise 19 inches from the floor. However, a news reporter has verified the existence of the mounds and so have numerous visitors to the site. According to Ry, she tried numerous times to get rid of the nests but each morning she discovered that they had returned.

One television show host has said that the mounds were like a miracle to him. It is such publicity which has spread the word about the unusual nests and caused many people to visit the mounds each day and now some 50 to 60 people, mostly Buddhists, visit Ry’s home daily. People who visit the site say that they see various messages and signs of wonder in the shape and size of the nests which is why they continue to come and offer prayers. One regular visitor stated that he believes the termites are trying to convey a message from God.

Whether or not the enterprising pests have caused any damage to Ry’s home has not been reported nor has anything been said about any attempt to relocate the creatures or otherwise get rid of them. All forms of life are sacred in Buddhism, including it appears, the life of termites, especially those who are creative enough to make their nests in the form of a sitting Buddha. Thus, for the moment, getting rid of the pests seem quite out of the question.

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Unless you know the difference between termites and ants, a less than honorable person could take advantage of you by selling you products and services you do not need. You could even pay for nonexistent repairs. You could end up spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars that you do not have to spend. That is why confusion over termites and ants and how to distinguish between them is no small matter. Perhaps you, like so many others, have mistaken one for the other.

Relax, it is not so difficult to do. That is why you need to know the difference between these two pests so that you can distinguish between them.

The starting point in being able to distinguish termites from ants is to learn the three biological features which they share in common but which are so different as to distinguish them apart. You need to learn what these features are and how they differ and then you will no longer need to worry about confusing one for the other. You are going to be surprised how really simple this task is going to be.

Both pests have antennae. The termite’s antennae is straight whereas the ant’s antennae is bent which makes it look like ants have elbows. Another feature is they both have two sets of wings. However, the ant’s wings are of different sizes and the termites’ wings are of uniformed size. Finally, the termite does not have a waist area but ants do which is constricted which gives ants the appearance of having a waist. You could say that one has a curve and the other is elongated.

Now you should be able to tell the difference between termites and ants. You are now ready to do successfully termite identification. Keeping in mind the features you have learned in this article, you will be able to make the right identification and avoid making costly mistakes and being taken advantage of. See, it was not that hard.

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Thinking about hiring an exterminator to get rid of termites? Do you know whether the company you are considering is properly licensed? What about complaints pending against the firm? Are you aware if there are? You are about to take a very costly trip and you need to know if there are pot holes ahead. Here are two things you should definitely do before hiring termite companies.

Do not take the company’s representative’s word for whether or not the company and its employees are properly licensed and trained. You can be shown an expired, suspended, or revoked license as well as outdated and expired training. Contact your local or state governing agency and verify this information for yourself. Most likely there is a pest control agency in your city or county. Take the time to make the necessary calls.

In California, you would contact the Structural Pest Control Board. Not only should you ask about the company, you should ask about the particular individuals who come out to do the work. You should ask the company for this information and insist that you receive it. This is because the company can be properly licensed but the worker may not be or s/he may not be properly trained to perform the intended service.

You should also contact your State Consumer Affairs Office, the local Better Business Bureau, and the State Pest Control Board to see if there have been any complaints filed against the company and whether those complaints were resolved. Some commentators say you ought to get references. The problem with references is that you never know if the people you are referred to are employees, owners, relatives, and friends of the company and or its employees.

Although you should keep in mind that there are always at least three sides to a story, you should do a Google search of the company and the employees who come out to see what Internet users are saying about them.

Don’t let termites ruin your house. Learn how to kill termites visit us at http://termites-treatment.com

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You have gotten your inspection, three estimates, and done some background checking on each of the finalists. You are now ready to choose which of the exterminators you will select to rid your home of its termite infestation.

But before you sign a contract with termite exterminators, there are some things you should look for to make sure the agreement is in your best interest and will get the job done.

Usually, there are specific state requirements for the inspection and treatment of termite infestations. You need to know these and insure that the proposed contract complies with them before you sign a contract. You can check with your state pest control office for the specific requirements of your area.

What specific chemicals and procedures will be employed to rid your property of an infestation is just one of the questions you need to ask and to which you need to get a satisfactory answer. Another question of concern is whether there is a risk to the health and safety of you, your loved ones, and pets as well as whether there will be a residue and any stains left on your house. You should also be provided with a diagram of your house showing the location of the infestation and any places where signs of the presence of termites were found.

Is a warranty or service contract provided? What is the period of time in which the warranty will be in effect and what will it cover? How will you know if the infestation has been completely eradicated? Will there be follow-up visits? If so, will there be additional charges for these? Are there areas of infestation which will not be treated? If so, why not and what are the recommendations for such areas? Can the warranty be extended? If so, at what cost?

Lastly, make sure that whoever signs the contract has the authority to do so. You can determine this by calling the company and verifying that the person is authorized to sign on behalf of the company.

Don’t let termites ruin your house. Learn how to kill termites visit us at http://termites-treatment.com

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