Termites

What are termites?

Termites are wood-destroying insects that can be found invading homes, businesses, and other structures all throughout Florida. These destructive pests live and work together in large colonies that are divided into three castes. Termite colonies are made up of workers, soldiers, and reproductives, each of which have their own job to benefit the colony.

Workers
Workers make up the majority of the termite colony and are responsible for gathering food for the entire colony.

Soldiers
Soldiers have the responsibility of guarding the termite colony against dangers by using their powerful mandibles.

Swarmers
Swarmers are the reproductive termites and the only winged members of the colony. It's their responsibility to mate and establish new colonies.

When living outside, termites are beneficial to the environment as they are responsible for getting rid of decaying plant materials and releasing those nutrients back into the soil. However, when termites find their way inside a home or other building, they become extremely destructive and can cause significant damage to its structural wood.

Are termites dangerous?

Termites are not considered dangerous in the traditional sense as they pose no physical harm to people. In fact, people rarely ever see termites because they spend most of their lives under the ground or inside the wood they are tunneling through. And termites do not bite or sting, and they aren’t known to transmit diseases. However, termites are actually considered to be a dangerous species of insect because of the extensive structural damage they can cause by tunneling through the wood of homes and businesses.
 
Termites typically enter homes unnoticed and have the potential to create significant damage before their presence is discovered. In fact, termites infestations often go on for weeks, months, and sometimes even years without alerting any suspicion. And the damage that termites can create during that time can be costly to repair. Here in the United States, termites are responsible for over $5 billion in property damages, and most homeowners' insurance does not cover termite damage as it is considered preventable!

Why do I have a termite problem?

Termites are moisture-seeking pests and are attracted to moist soil and decaying or water-damaged wood. While out foraging for food, termites often accidentally find their way inside homes through moist soil that comes into contact with the wood of your home in the form of door or window frames, deck posts, porch steps and supports, or wood shingles. So if you have moisture problems or wood-to-soil contact on your property, you may inadvertently attract wood-destroying termites to your home.
 
Termites also commonly find their way onto properties during termite swarming season. A termite swarm is when the reproductive members of the termite colony emerge from the nest in order to find mates and establish new colonies. If a mature termite colony is located near your home, termites from that swarm could easily end up on your property.

Where are termites commonly found?

Termites typically nest in the ground, underneath the soil and the workers travel back and forth from these nest to their food source through underground tunnels or mud tubes that they have created. Termites that are feeding on structural wood inside homes or other buildings are often found behind walls and wooden trim, above ceilings, or underneath floors. Eventually, termites may begin tunneling through and feed on non-wood items like insulation, plastic plumbing pipes, sub-flooring, and foundations.

How do I get rid of termites?

The best way to find and eliminate the termites on your property and nesting throughout your home is to contact a professional pest control company for assistance. Here at Reynolds Pest Management, we provide the services needed to completely eliminate the infestation and prevent future problems with wood-destroying termites. To protect properties of termites, we offer termite inspections, tent fumigation, and the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. For professional termite control services, reach out to us!

How can I prevent termites in the future?

Termites are tricky pests to stop from finding their way into your Florida property. Making your home and property as unattractive to termites as possible, in conjunction with professional termite control, is the best way to prevent problems with these damaging pests. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Clean gutters regularly to prevent water from seeping into your home’s walls.

• Repair leaky pipes, faucets, or fixtures.

• Remove water-damaged wood from your home.

• Use dehumidifiers and air-conditioners to reduce humidity levels in your home.

• Make sure that crawl spaces are properly ventilated. 

• Remove fallen trees, tree stumps, and piles of organic debris from your property. 

• Leave a stone barrier between any soil or mulch and your home’s foundation. 

• Limit soil-to-wood contact on your property, especially around your home.

However, when dealing with destructive pests like termites, investing in quality termite control services like the services we offer here at Reynolds Pest Management for your property is an essential part of protecting your property, especially here in Florida where they can remain active year round. For more information, give us a call today!