Do you suspect that you have termites causing damage to your home, but do not know what to do about it? Follow these tips that will help identify these pesky pests and get rid of them.
Identify The Termites
The first thing that you'll want to do is identify the pests that you see as termites, which can sometimes be confused as ants. Termites are going to have a body that is relatively short and straight with two pairs of wings. Those wings also tend to be longer than their bodies, which have a ribbed abdomen. Ants are going to have elongated antennas that are elbow-shaped, with two pairs of wings where the front pair is larger than the pair on the back of their body. Ants also have a body with two clearly defined parts with the abdomen and thorax.
Locate How The Termites Get In
The termites are going to leave evidence of how they got to your home. Look outside for mud tubs, which tend to be about a quarter-inch in diameter and run across the surface of the ground. The mud tubes will often form from other structures where termites are living, such as a garage or shed. You can tell if the tunnels are active because they are moist rather than dry.
Look For Infestation Signs
There are several ways that termites will leave behind evidence that they have entered your home. Start by looking at the cracks and joints in your foundation since you want to look for signs that they have been getting inside through these small spaces. Then look for discarded wings that are left behind from the termites getting in and out of your home. You can also look for termites that are hiding in places like outdoor electrical outlets on your home's exterior or around wood fences.
Know How To Treat Termites
Treating termites to get rid of them is a job that should be done by a pest control specialist. They are your best bet to make sure that the proper areas have been treated with an insecticide, that bait has been placed properly around your home, and that no potential place of infestation has been missed. It's important that you then do not disturb these areas and let the insecticide do its job at killing the termites. Know that steps must be taken to prevent termites from getting into your home because killing off the termites will not prevent a future infestation.
Contact a local termite control service to learn more.
I have never been one of those people who is alright with bugs running through their house, which is probably why I started focusing on pest control in the first place. I wanted to make sure that nothing would get in the way of me enjoying time with my family, so I began snapping pictures of the bugs in my house and then talking with professionals about how to resolve the problem. Within a few weeks I had an expert spraying for pests, and I was really impressed with just how effective they were. Check out this site for great tips on killing bugs.