Termite Protection in Southwest Florida With Sentricon®
Termite Protection in Southwest Florida with Sentricon®
Termites. The most destructive pest in the country. Each year they cause an estimated $5 BILLION (yes with a “B”) in damages to both homes and business across the country. This is because once termites move in, it can cost you thousands if not tens of thousands to both eliminate the colony as well as repair the damages they have caused.
Termites are unlike you and I, as they work around the clock 24/7 without ever sleeping or even taking a break. To further worsen it, a single queen can lay an egg nearly every second! The queen is the largest and the most important colony member as she can lay nearly one million eggs in her lifetime. She is not small, as she can measure up to 4 inches long and live for over 10 years.
So, a single colony on your property can be destructive, could it be worse? Yes. On average, if a colony is found to be on your property that means there are thirteen other colonies there as well. This is because once a colony becomes to large, a “backup” queen will leave that colony to go and start another one. This is why termites are so incredibly destructive.
SIGNS OF TERMITES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
While it is always best to have All “U” Need Pest Control determine if you have a termite infestation, termites will often leave you clues. If you do decide to investigate, here are some tell-tale signs to look for:
Swarms. Termites will typically swarm in warmer weather and after it rains to start a brand new colony. These events can be very brief, but even if you don’t see them flying you can certainly find their discarded wings around windowsills, doors, vents, etc. The swarmers use their wings to leave their original colony to start the new one. If you find these wings, it’s time to call All “U” Need Pest Control.
Mud Tubes. The foraging termites, the ones that eat wood to feed the colony, have to stay in moist environments while staying away from predators. This is why termites will construct small, meandering mud tubes to branch across barriers between the soil and the wood. These tubes can be seen on plumbing, inside walls and foundation walls and are typically the width of a pencil. If you see these termite highways, it’s a sure sign of termites and time to call All “U” Need Pest Control.
Damage. Termites like to eat wood from the inside out and follow the grain of the wood they are eating. This means that damage often isn’t visible until the damage becomes significant. A tell-tale way to “hear” if there is damage is to knock on the wood. If it has a hollow sound, it may be a sign that termites are in it, this is also a time to call All “U” Need Pest Control.
USE A BAIT THEY LOVE MORE THAN WOOD
In side-by-side comparisons where termites had the choice to choose between wood and Sentricon’s revolutionary bait systems, termites actually went after the bait 14x more than wood! The best part, they took after the bait even more as it ages, cracks, and develops mold!
This bait is part of the Sentricon® System with Always Active™ technology. It protects your home when placed inside Sentricon System stations that are placed around the perimeter of your home. Termites will discover the bait, eat is and deliver its slow-acting chemistry to the entire colony. This chemistry will disrupt their molting cycle and will then eliminate the entire colony.
Normal “routine” termite control attempts a blocking method which applies hundreds of gallons of insecticide into the soil to create a barrier around your home to either repel or kill termites that try to enter. The much simpler and safer way is to eliminate the termite all together with baiting stations. For more information, give us a call at (239)424-8742 or our Sarasota location at (941)256-7370!