Finding and Removing Termites
Pest Controlling Quotes
from local pest controllers
Termites, also known as white ants, are small white insects that feed off dead wood and find the wood used in house construction especially palatable. If you suspect you have termites in your home it's important to call a pest controller immediately and have the house properly inspected. Should you do nothing and the house is infested then the termites will continue to feed until the house collapses and has to be demolished.
Signs that your house may have termites include:
- Solid wood sounding hollow when you tap it or feeling 'soft' when pressed.
- If wood is broken open a honeycomb pattern is found
- Trails in the form of tubes about a pencil width running along surfaces or even free standing. They will often disappear into bricks or wood.
- Termites are actually seen when renovating
Termites are extremely good at hiding their handiwork, however, so it is important to have your house inspected and a termite prevention method in place.
Pest removalists have a variety of methods for dealing with termites. Typically, however, the first aim is to kill the colony and then remove their access to the house by fixing whatever problems had encouraged them in the first place.
Insecticides may be used to kill the colony, although this may not always kill the nest, in which case the colony will simply shift and attack the house from a different point. A newer and less toxic method involves 'baiting' the termites with hormone-disruptive chemicals or slow acting toxins. This can be more effective as the termites will have time to take the poison back to the nest and affect the whole colony.
Once the termites have been removed it is important to remember that where one colony lives there may be others nearby, so preventative measures should be put in place. Your pest exterminator should be able to assist you with creating a termite management plan while you may also be interested in reading our articles: 'Termite Prevention Prior to Construction' and 'Preventing Termites in your Home'.
Pest Controlling Quotes
from local pest controllers
