Beware Of The Termite Season

In California, termites are a very prominent species of insect. Termites are wood eating insects that fall in the family Isoptera. Isopterea is an insect group which some say date back 100 million years and more. Termites as a species are very devastating due to the fact that they live so long and have colonies which can multiply with very little food. The termites peak season usually falls between the later days of February and continues into May. At this point the termites start there swarm. The Damp Wood Termite, Subterranean Termite, and the Damp Wood Termite, are all species that thrive in areas of California and appear in 3 ways, winged, soldiers, reproductive, and workers. Because termites are such a ever thriving species, termite control is a necessity, and a solid plan of attack is a must and should be started before the thriving season. A plan can prevent costly professional repairs. Boric Acid is a less costly option that may solve the problem if it is still minimal.

For California the termite prevention method for a structure most commonly used is the chemical barrier placement, which is done by placing a wall of chemicals between the termites and the structure your protecting. If you find termites are in the area of the structure it is best to use a combination of pesticides are injected into the ground by either rodding, drilling, or trenching. It is best to use a few of the methods at once to prevent a costly termite attack. If a termite has reached the structure itself it is wise to use a combination of soil methods ( rodding, drilling,etc), along with wooden treatments because the termites can live in the walls of wood off of the water for some a long time.

Wooden structures in California have more than a 70 percent chance of being attacked by termites within 10 to 20 years. You can place Bait Blocks containing Boric Acid around a structure. The Boric Acid will then attract a kill the termites without having to use a large amount of chemicals . Boric acid can be a less costly attempt. Continued swarming after a conventional soil treatment can mean a few things: The termites are still finding an "untreated" access point into structures where the termiticide application has not created an effective barrier to prevent entry. Treating infested lumber in a structure requires drilling and injecting chemicals into the wood to reach the colony. An excellent prevention tactic for Termite control is to remove all the tree stumps around, get rid of all excess stored lumber or scrap wood, and all untreated fence posting in the surrounding area.

If the correct termite traps are used a termite infestation can be stopped in under 12 months. If termite baiting traps are used you can attract the termites to bring the poison from the traps back to the home or colony, which can be highly effective in eradication. Baits or traps can also be very convenient when chemicals are a concern and soil baits cannot be used because of a vegetable garden or children at play. The bait traps are convenient in that they will bring the chemical in small amounts back to the colony itself. The small portions of poison can be brought back to the colony if the termite home is in the dirt or in the walls of your home.

Termites can gain access into your home through foundation cracks as small as 1/64 inch. Termites cause over 5 billion dollars in property damage in the United States and destroy over $750,000,000 in property annually. Termites eat 24/7, never stopping to rest or sleep so control is a necessary action. Termite baits such as boric acid can eliminate the pests where soil baits and rods cannot, although a combination of soil solutions and bait are usually required to eliminate the problem. Termites are amazing tiny insects who have cooperation down to a science. This allows termites to do things like build giant towers by hollowing large trees, or transferring large amounts of dirt and, or, eating the wood from your home. The key to termite control is using proper prevention measures and consistent application.