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Subterranean Termite Swarm Season Will Be Here Soon

So what are Subterranean Termites? A Subterranean Termite, is a Termite that lives in the soil underground. The soil provides moisture that is important for their survival. But they can also live in wet wood. This is why it is important to repair any water leaks inside of a structure. Subterranean Termites build “mud tubes” to retain moisture within their colony, especially above ground. But don’t worry, there are Termite Treatment Options.

What are Swarming Termites?

Swarmers are also called “Alates”. These are adult Termites with wings, that can fly.

When a Termite colony matures, the Flying Termites or Swarmers fly away from the colony to go make a new colony of their own. That’s right! Their job is to go make a new colony of their own. Once a swarmer lands, it drops its wings, mates, and becomes a primary reproductive (king or queen) of the new colony.

Is a Preventative Termite Treatment Necessary?

Subterranean Termites are the most destructive Termite species. They feed twenty four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. That’s right, they don’t sleep.

Well, think about this. We build our Florida homes and buildings on top of the soil. The same soil these Subterranean Termites live in. Which means, we build our homes and structures right on top of their home. There is a saying within the Pest Control industry, which is, “it’s not if you’ll get termites, it’s when you get termites”.

Even if you have a block structure, should you have Preventative Termite Protection?

The short answer is YES. Termites feed on products containing cellulose, such as wood, fiberboard, paper and fabrics made of cotton or plant fibers. In most homes, the interior walls are wood. The door jams are wood. The baseboards are usually made from soft pine wood, perhaps the most favorite wood of Subterranean Termites. Termites can also come up through cracks in the foundation. It is common to find Termites feeding on furniture such as cabinets, bookcases, grandfather clocks, grand pianos, boxes of paper. Commercial business have been known to have Termites feeding on stored papers of business documents.

How to Prevent Subterranean Termites

The best way to prevent a Subterranean Termite infestation, is to treat a structure before the Termites have a chance to enter. This would usually be done by treating the soil before the structure is built, this would be called a “pretreat”. There are “post construction” soil termite treatment options for homes and buildings that are already built. These treatment work best using a non-repellent Termiticide. In either case, whole house termite treatment is always recommended.

Tips for Reducing the Chances of Getting a Subterranean Termite Infestation

• Remove stumps, roots wood and similar materials from the building site before beginning construction
• Landscape plants and irrigation should not be placed within 2 feet of the foundation
• To prevent termites from finding a food source, there should be no contact of building woodwork with the soil or fill. Exterior woodwork should be a minimum of 6 inches above ground, and beams in crawl spaces at least 18 inches above ground, to provide ample space for future inspections.
• Only use commercially pressure treated for any wood that contacts the soil, such as fence posts, poles and general foundation structures and should not be attached to the house
• Annual inspections should be conducted, looking for evidence such as mud tubes, wings and wood damage.

Contact Termite Lawn & Pest Today!

Call us at 407-447-7378 for a free inspection and ask about the ways we can protect your home or business from these wood destroying insects. Contact us if you think you have termites or need protection.