Annandale Pest Control

Understanding Annandale Pests: What Is a Termite?

How much damage could a lowly termite possibly do?

Well, globally that’s a total of 40 billion U.S dollars every year. Are you scared yet? You should be. Because out of that global estimate 600,000 houses in the U.S.A are victims to some form of termite inflicted damage every single year. So, what is a termite? And how do you prevent your Annandale home from becoming yet another statistic?

What Is a Termite?

Termites are small insects that belong to the order of the roaches – Blattodea. They feed on tree bark or processed wood and are usually present in colonies. Based on their roles, each termite might vary in colors ranging from yellow, cream, black and different shades of brown. A colony may consist of a king, queen, soldiers, workers, and the winged termites. Despite their grand hierarchy, it is fairly common for a termite to slip under your radar. Because, for one, they’re tiny and for another, they look very similar to ants.

So how do you differentiate between the two?

Termites tend to have straight antennae and two pairs of transparent wings of uniform length on either side of their bodies. Now, even when ants do have wings, you’ll notice that the front pair remains distinctively longer than the pair behind. If you come across a hollow wooden surface, it’s most likely infested with termites. You can examine around the surface, or even prod through it to see if you can spot them.

Types of Termites

There are two kinds of termites you should be worried about – the subterranean termites and drywood termites. The subterranean termites generally build their nests underground. They navigate their surroundings through tubes and maintain moisture levels by building nests or “cartons” with their excrement. You are most likely to find these in your homes.

Fortunately we curently do not have drywood termites. These build their nests within the wood itself, by flying right into it. Instead of building cartons, they push their excrement out of the wood through tiny holes. These are quite prominent in coastal areas.

Why the Bad Reputation?

Unlike cockroaches or annoying little mosquitoes, termites do not spread any diseases. So why the bad reputation? Unfortunately, their choice of habitat often happens to involve your home.

Their colonies are nothing short of a destructive force finding their way through any damp wooden surface they can find. And that’s what creates that irreparable, $40 billion worth of damage across the globe.

 Termite Control

So if you do suspect a termite infestation in your home, it’s best you take care of it sooner than later. The most common way to do this is through pest control or a termite baiting system.

What is a termite baiting system? It’s just an incredibly effective way of clearing your home off termites. However, be wary of companies that use poisonous chemicals; these can often do more harm than good.

Get in touch with us for a quick consultation on our efficient, effective and eco-friendly treatments for any infestation!