Termites Be Gone: Proven Techniques for Successful Termite Control In Lawrenceville

The two most destructive kinds of termites in the United States are subterranean and drywood termites. We deal with both in Lawrenceville, but subterranean termites are, by far, the worst. They're not just worse here; they're worse across the country. Why are they so bad? It has to do with how they avoid detection. Unlike drywood termites, subterranean termites don't produce frass piles in your home. That means you won't see piles of sawdust-like material. They also don't damage hardwood like drywood termites do. That means you aren't going to see a hole in your door or window frame and say, "Is that termite damage?" The damage caused by subterranean termites is concealed. You'll have to search for it. Today, we're going to zero in on the issue of subterranean termite control in Lawrenceville. We'll tell you how to find and detect damage and locate evidence that you have active termites. Then, we'll tell you how to get rid of them. As always, your ProCare Pest Services service team is here to assist if you need a termite inspection or professional termite control in Lawrenceville. Connect with us through our Contact Us page, or just call.

You're Not Likely To See A Termite: How To Identify Signs Of Activity

It is incredibly rare to see termites. While there are a few different kinds of termites in a termite colony, all of them avoid detection in their own ways. The queen sits at the heart of the colony, which is hidden in the ground. Termite workers and soldiers travel together in search of food. The workers gather the food, and the soldiers protect them. Both stay hidden in absolute darkness the entire time. Workers have an aversion to light and are known to avoid all light sources, even the reflected light from the moon. Termite reproductive hide themselves in the ground or inside wood as they work to make satellite nests. Some reproductive grow wings and will leave the source nest and take to the air. These are the most noticeable termites because they do not have an aversion to light. But don't get too excited about having these termites as a warning sign. Most swarms last less than an hour and typically only occur in the spring. So you have a very small window to see them. On top of this, a termite swarmer is only about ? of an inch long. If you see one crawling on your back deck, you may pay no attention to it at all. So, how do you detect termites?

Look for shelter tubes. Subterranean termites create shelter tubes out of saliva and soil, which is why they're often called mud tubes. The structures are essentially made of mud. You'll need to look in dark, damp locations to find these tubes. As we pointed out, workers avoid the light. They're also prone to dehydration and will stay where moisture levels are high. Inspect your foundation underneath your deck, in a crawl space, behind your stairs, behind your landscape vegetation, etc. Shelter tubes look like wiggly lines of mud or mud veins. When stacked on top of each other, they can start to look like a thick column. 

Look for termite damage. Subterranean termites do most of their damage inside the wood of your home. If there is exterior damage, you'll find it in the same places you'll find shelter tubes. In fact, as you search for damage, look for the presence of mud. The two go together. Subterranean termites bring soil up into their tunnels, making the tunnel walls gritty to the touch. 

Listen for termite activity. If you have a large infestation, you might hear termites clicking inside your walls. That clicking is not the sound of workers eating the wood; it is the sound of soldier termites hitting their heads on the sides of the tunnel walls. They do this to warn the workers of an invading enemy.

Tap wood and listen. If you have termites eating structural timber, you may tell by tapping on it. A thick beam should not sound hollow, but it will if it has workers termites