Termites

Although all pests are problematic, you’ll agree that some are worse than others. If you’re worried about pests destroying your home, you don’t want to deal with a termite infestation. Unfortunately, termites are incredibly destructive. Once they’ve invaded, it is only a matter of time before your home is damaged. They can chew through the wood homes and furniture. Suffice to say, it is pertinent to find a way to deal with the termite infestation swiftly.

One way to do that is by teaming up with a qualified exterminator. Our technicians are here to help. Contact us so we can begin working hard for you. Subterranean termites are the most common species in the United States. They cause more than 90% of the damage to American homes each year. Since they cause roughly $2 billion in damage each year, rushing to fix the problem is wise.

Termite Colony Structure

Termite colonies are structured. As a result, each member fits into a specific category, and each category has unique responsibilities. More about this will be provided below.

Queen Termites

First and foremost, you will encounter a queen termite. Each colony has one queen. She is nearly 4-inch in length and so big that she needs assistance moving through the tunnels. When she needs to move around, hundreds of worker termites will have to push her. The queen termite is helpful because she reproduces and adds more worker termites and soldier termites to the colony.

On average, they can live up to 10 years and lay more than 30,000 eggs in 24 hours.

King Termites

Kings are just as important as queens. Again, there is only one king in a termite colony. He is important because he helps the queen produce more termites. Together, they work to add more workers and soldiers to the colony. Although the pair is incredibly important during the colony’s early days, they never stop mating.

Worker Termites

Worker termites are vital because they perform most of the work. Whether it is caring for eggs, feeding termites, or building tunnels, the worker termites will be responsible for these mundane tasks. In addition to that, they work around the clock and never stop. They consume wood and feed it to other members of the colony. The worker termite has a soft body and reaches 10mm in length.

Soldier Termites

The name suggests, worker termites defend the colony from potential invaders. They’re soft-bodied and do not develop wings. However, they’re unique because they have powerful jaws and longer heads. They use these attributes to defend other termites from ants. Although ants are the most common predators, they have to worry about others too.

Swarmers

Finally, each colony will have swarmer termites. These termites are responsible for reproducing elsewhere. They have wings and will leave their colony. They’ll travel a distance before building new colonies elsewhere. Although the colony can only have one king and one queen, it can have countless swarmer termites.

Primary Termites In Milwaukee

Milwaukee is home to several termite species, but Subterranean termites are the most common and concerning. These termites can be found across the country, including in your area.

More About Subterranean Termites 

First, you should learn as much as you can about Subterranean termites. They live in structured colonies with worker termites, soldier termites, and swarmer termites. Furthermore, the colony will have a king and a queen. Workers and soldiers tend to grow up the three-eighths of an inch. Although they look similar, soldier termites have longer heads and strong jaws. As for Subterranean swarmer termites, they can grow up to half an inch.

Common Behaviors

Like other termites, Subterranean termites build underground nests. They generally live underground but some may live in wet locations above ground. Subterranean termites build protective mud tubes that allow them to access nearby food sources without being attacked. Subterranean worker termites consume cellulose and feed it to other members of the colony.

Concerns

You cannot ignore these pests because they can create major issues for you and your loved ones. Although they’re not physically dangerous, they are destructive. They’ll slowly destroy your home. Get rid of them or you’re going to experience immense property damage.

Flying Ants & Flying Termites

Although similar, flying ants and flying termites have many differences. Flying ants have wings of different sizes while termites have wings of equal size. Flying ants have pinched waists. Another difference is that flying ants have elbowed antennas while flying termites have straight antennas.

Unique Facts

• Termites never stop eating wood. Once they’ve invaded your property, they’re going to eat wood around the clock.
• Termite colonies will stick around for 50 years or longer.
• In the United States, the average termite colony will be home to half a million insects.
• Termites are helpful for the environment because they get rid of deadwood.
• Subterranean termites need to be able to access water at all times. If they cannot access water, they’ll die.
• These pests can live above ground as long as their tunnels are wet.
• Soldier termites have to defend the colony from ants and other predators.
• Working with an exterminator ensures that you can kill all of the termites in the colony.
• There are 2,000 or more termite species in the world.
• Roughly 40 termite species can be found in the United States.
• Alaska is the only state that doesn’t have Subterranean termites.
• Subterranean termites cause most of the damage to American structures.
• They can’t eat concrete but they can move through its cracks.
• Worker termites have to eat wood and feed it to other members of the colony.
• Queen termites can survive for 20 years or longer.
• A queen termite can lay as many as a thousand eggs each day.

Termite Dangers

Termites are not physically dangerous since they won’t bite or transmit illnesses. However, they will cause other problems. For instance, they’re going to destroy your home or business. They chew through wood. As a result, they can severely damage property very rapidly. It is pertinent to take steps to protect yourself and your assets. Work with an exterminator to get rid of the termites on your property as quickly as possible.

Eliminating Termite Colonies

You need to find a way to get rid of the termites quickly. Unfortunately, termite control isn’t easy. These pests can travel up to 300 feet away from their colonies. Therefore, you will have a tough time finding their colony. Working with an exterminator is generally best. Doing so will help ensure that you can tackle the problem before the termites cause serious property damage.

Doing It On Your Own

You might be able to remove termites from your property. However, you won’t be able to eliminate the infestation. Plus, there is a risk that you’re going to use dangerous methods and you could get sick. It is generally best to avoid pesticides unless you know how to mix and use them properly. Contact our office so we can get rid of them for you.

We’re Ready To Help

Contact our office today so you can schedule an appointment. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours or so.

Safer Treatments

Our company offers safer solutions. We’re dedicated to providing our clients with cost-effective, safe solutions. Our technicians are trained to use EPA-registered products to guarantee your safety. Our technicians will do everything they can to protect you and your loved ones. We require our technicians to follow precise protocols to guarantee safe and consistent results.

Preventing Termite Invasions

• Make sure that water does not accumulate near your home’s foundation.
• Deal with any leaks immediately. Be sure to check faucets, AC units, and water pipes.
• Make sure that humidity levels are low. It might become an issue in your crawlspace, attic, or basement.
• Keep firewood away from your home. It should be at least twenty feet away and five inches from the ground.
• Conventional mulch should be 15 feet from the home’s foundation. Otherwise, use rubber mulch.
• Check your home regularly for signs of termites.
• Contact us when you suspect you have a termite problem.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.