Termites is a frightening word to hear. The damage that termites can cause to your home can cost upwards of $3,000 to repair! It’s estimated that these pests cost Americans over five billion dollars a year. Here is some helpful information about how to protect your home from termites this year.
Termite Season
Termites are, unfortunately, a year-round pest. In Moline, you’re most likely dealing with subterranean termites. They live underground and build mud tubes between their nest and the wood where they find food. This means they aren’t directly exposed to the cold and can survive even through colder months.
Termites begin as eggs, then grow into larvae. Adult termites fall into castes: workers, soldiers, and alates. These castes work together to ensure protection of the colony. You could have worker termites active in your home any time of year. Alates, however, are most often spotted in the spring. Here’s some more information.
Swarmer Termites
Alates are also called swarmers or winged termites. They are the termites that reproduce and create new colonies. They range in color from yellow to black and are large, winged termites. During the spring months, they emerge in order to find a mate and start new colonies.
If you see a swarm of alates, this might mean that a termite colony already exists nearby. If you only see one or two alates, or wings they’ve left behind, it might mean that they’re about to start a new colony near your home. The presence of swarmers near your home could be the first sign of a problem. If you see winged termites, or shed wings, contact Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators for help protecting your home from termites before they settle in and cause any damage.
The First Step: Termite Prevention
If you haven’t seen any signs of swarmers or other evidence of termites, it’s a good time to take some preventative steps. Here are some ways you can protect your home from termites:
- Repair damaged wood immediately. Damp and soft wood is easier for termites to eat and therefore more appealing to them.
- Check for leaks and spills that may be creating damp wood or damp soil around the exterior of your house.
- If possible, create a barrier between the wooden exterior of your home and the soil, especially damp soil. You can use gravel or steel mesh barriers.
- Invest in year-round pest control. Here at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators, we can install barriers around your home, using baiting systems to eliminate entire termite colonies, and then monitor your home so you can be confident you don’t have termites.
Termite Elimination
If you’ve taken some preventative measures and still see swarmer wings or mud tubes around your house, it’s time to call Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators. We use liquid termidor® to prevent termites from getting near your home. Our Home Guardian System protects you from termites and other common household pests.
If termites are already causing problems, we’ll use the Sentricon® System. This baiting system is slow-acting and eliminates entire colonies instead of just worker termites. Plus, Sentricon® has lasting effects that will keep your home protected from termites long after we’ve gone.
Don’t stress about the damage termites might be doing to your home. Call Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators for protection you can count on, any time of year.