Earth Guard's Blog

Western Subterranean Termite Colony

When it comes to termites, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Termites are just as damaging as they ever were, and in some parts of the country (including the San Diego area), new species, such as the Formosan termite, have arrived from other parts of the world to voraciously attack homes and properties.

A few years back, when the real estate market was booming, a lot of homeowners and business owners in our Sacramento pest control region didn’t worry much about termites; they figured by the time any damage was done, they’d have traded up to a newer or larger home or commercial property. These days the real estate market is a lot slower, and many of us are stepping back and planning to stay put for a few  years. This means it is more critical than ever that we maintain and protect our existing properties… so that when the economy does turn around, and the time is right to make a move, we haven’t lost value due to negligence or damage.

The most effective way to protect your property is prevention. Our Sacramento pest control company encourages our customers to invest a small amount for an annual professional termite and wood-destroying organism inspection and avoid expending tens of thousands of dollars later on for expensive extermination and damage repair.

One of the most potentially damaging conditions in any structure is moisture. Dripping pipes, cracks in concrete foundations, deteriorated grout around windows and doors–any of these and more can create inviting conditions for termites as well as mold, mildew, fungus and wood rot.

Seventeen types of termites make their homes in California. Of those, the western subterranean termite (Reticulitermes hesperus) is the most destructive. Subterranean termites require moisture and must maintain a connection with the soil, either by boring tunnels through wood that touches the ground or by constructing mud-like shelter tubes.

Termite shelter tubes

Dampwood termites, which, as their name implies, live in moisture-saturated wood, are often found in beach houses, but some types, such as the Nevada dampwood termite (Zootermopsis nevadensis) live in drier highland areas. Drywood termites, which can survive long periods of time without any moisture, are most commonly found in Southern California, but some also occur in the Central Valley and on the coast.

A building can have more than one infestation of termites and may even be infested by more than one type. Our Sacramento pest control company uses integrated pest management techniques to (1) identify any potential points of entry to a structure or conditions that may lead to infestation, (2) repair leaks, apply moisture barriers or take other preventive measures, (3) eliminate all existing infestations. Following inspection, the property owner receives an official WDO (wood-destroying organism) report documenting the inspection results and any resulting treatment.

In this tough economy, all of us are looking for ways to economize and responsibly manage our investments. Your home or commercial property is one of the most important investments you will ever make. Consider carefully spending an ounce or two on termite and WDO prevention today to avoid several pounds of cure in the future!

 As always, visit our pest control blog at http://www.earthguardpest.com/blog for more articles and information about termites, or call us at 916-457-7605.

One of the best things you can do to protect the value of your home or commercial property is to schedule an annual inspection for termites and other wood-destroying organisms, conducted by a certified, licensed pest control professional. A small cost today (usually around $100 for a single-family home) can result in savings of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in future property damage.

A professional termite/WDO inspection not only will identify termite inspections, it also will provide you with a checklist of problem areas that could result in future damages—issues like plumbing leaks, leaky window frames or doorsills, dry rot, cracks or places where wooden structural supports are in contact with soil. Often you’ll end up with a list of easy and inexpensive fixes you can make now to keep your property pest-free and structurally sound for the future. Sometimes a fix can be as simple as recaulking, screening or fixing a dripping pipe. If it turns out you do have a termite problem, there are modern effective treatments available to eliminate the infestation and prevent a recurrence.

Termites and other wood destroying organisms cause some $2 billion worth of property damage each year in the United States alone, according to the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center, destroying or damaging some 2 million homes or buildings. Don’t be a statistic—apply an ounce of prevention in the form of a professional WDO inspection today to avoid a pound of expensive cure tomorrow.

For more information about California termites, their life cycles and signs of termite infestation, see our earlier article, “Termite Swarm Season is Here!” (http://earthguardpest.com/blog/?p=103).

Termite swarm season is upon us, and it won’t be long before scores of households in our Sacramento pest control region will be horrified by the sight of small, winged insects emerging from living room carpets or cracks between walls and tiled floors.

Western Subterranean Termite Colony--Photo by Jack Kelly Clark

A couple of years back, about this time of year, a young single mom called our Sacramento pest control office in a panic. She had just received a phone call at work from her junior-high-age daughter: on arriving home from school, the daughter had walked into the living room to find the carpeted floor swarming with tiny wiggling bugs. By the time our customer got home, her resourceful daughter had the vacuum out and was sucking the little critters up—exactly what we had advised mom to do until our crew was able to get there.

Termites are small, white, tan, or black insects that live in large nests or colonies. Individual “castes” of insects within the colony vary in appearance and perform different jobs, much like other social insects such as ants. The large queen lays the eggs, sometimes thousands in a single day. She is always accompanied by a king. Soldier termites typically have large heads with powerful jaws used to fend off their enemies—usually ants. In some species the soldiers have snouts that squirt a poison liquid at the enemy. Most numerous are the workers, who tend the queen, build the nest and forage for food. In some types of termites, such as dampwood and drywood termites, workers are not truly different but are actually young termites. Many types of termites have long lifespans: queens and kings can live for decades; workers for several years.

Termites belong to an ancient order of insects, Isoptera, that has been in existence more than 100 million years. While humans think of them mainly as a destructive force, in fact termites make positive contributions to the ecosystem by breaking down and recycling wood and plant materials and aerating the soil.

However, when they move into our houses and buildings, termites become a destructive force that results in some $2 billion worth each year in the United States alone. Because they feed on wood, they can cause serious damage to our homes, apartments, commercial buildings or outbuildings such as barns or sheds, even to structures such as wooden mailbox posts or light poles.

There are some 2,500 different species of termites worldwide, and 17 types of termites in California. Termites that occur in California can be divided into three basic groups: dampwood, drywood and subterranean.

Dampwood termites are found only in a few parts of the world, primarily in California and the Pacific Northwest. The Nevada dampwood termite lives mainly in high, drier mountainous areas and along the Northern California coast. The Pacific dampwood termite is the largest of the California termites, growing to nearly an inch long. Dampwood termites live and feed in very moist wood, especially in stumps and fallen trees on the forest floor. In our homes and commercial structures, they are attracted by damp conditions such as plumbing leaks or leaky window frames. They nest in wood buried in the soil but can also be present in very moist wood that does not have contact with the soil.

Drywood termites are most common in Southern California but are also found in coastal regions and the Central Valley. They infest dry, undecayed wood, both in structures and in forests. Drywood termites can survive long periods of drought. They live above ground and do not connect their nests to the soil.

Subterranean termites live in the soil, sometimes several feet below ground, and must have moisture to survive. They stay in contact with the soil by building hollow tunnels, or shelter tubes, from dirt, wood or drywall particles, about the diameter of a pencil.

Termite 'shelter tubes'

The western subterranean termite is the most destructive termite found in California, causing dangerous and costly damage to wooden foundation and structural support beams.

Often homeowners like our customer discover they have a termite problem when they discover a swarm, which in most species happens in spring or fall when the termites are ready to reproduce. Other signs of termite infestation are the presence of dirt shelter tunnels on walls, dark or blistered wood, or areas of thin, easily broken wood.

Termite infestations are difficult if not impossible to control with do-it-yourself methods. New technologies are extremely effective at eradicating termites and preventing reinfestation. In addition to traditional termite control measures, Earth Guard offers a line of earth-friendly treatment solutions.

To learn more about termites and our termite inspection and treatment services, go to: http://www.earthguardpest.com/commercial_real_estate/termite/.