Tis’ the Season for Termites

by Dr. Kramer |August 23, 2007

According to Dr. Richard Kramer, President of Innovative Pest Management, Brookeville, MD termite swarmers are already emerging in the metropolitan DC area. Because of the unusually warm winter, swarmers are appearing earlier than normal and will probably emerge over a much longer period of time, perhaps through April.

Termites are nothing to be taken lightly. Annually in the United States, termites cause more damage than fires and according to the National Pest Control Association, damage, treatment, and repairs cost consumers more than $3.5 billion. Approximately one out of every two homes has or will be attacked by termites.

Estimates of termite colony size range from 60,000 to several million. A small colony of 60,000 termites can eat the equivalent of a three foot section of a wood stud in one year, thus a large colony of 600,000 could eat as much as 30 feet in one year! Recent studies have determined that termite colonies forage over an area as much as a ½ acre in size. Unchecked, termites can cause damage which will cost thousands to repair.

Don’t panic!

The first thing to do if you suspect you have a termite infestation is to have them identified. If you can’t do this yourself, call in a professional pest management company.

Termites are often confused with flying ants which often swarm at the same time. A termites’ body is dark brown to black and cylindrical with no constrictions in comparison to ants which have distinct body segments. Termites have two pairs of wings which are equal in size in contrast to ants which have large front wings and a smaller second pair.

Look for conditions around the house that encourage termite attacks:

• Wood in contact with the soil or less than 6 inches from the soil on the exterior (decks, stairs, fences, siding, and landscape timbers). Treated wood is no assurance you won’t have termites tunneling inside or over it.

• Inadequate clearance in crawlspaces (less than 18 inches) and poor ventilation.

• Scrap wood and fire wood in the crawlspace and close to the house.

• Moisture around the foundation (poor drainage, condensate, water leaks, no gutters).

• Foam insulation in contact with the soil (may be covered with stucco, brick, and siding).

• Excessive use of mulch.

There are now several options for eliminating termite problems in your home:

• Traditional soil treatments which involve the application of several hundred gallons of a liquid termiticide around and sometimes under your home. These products do not typically kill the termites but are designed to repel them from your house. This is the most invasive procedure and typically involves drilling holes in the house.

• Another soil treatment involves the application of non-repellent products which allows the termites to actively forage through the treated zone contacting the termiticides. These products may kill the termites directly or those that are not killed transport the material back to the colony on their bodies or in their stomachs and expose their colony mates to the product.

• Bait systems involve placing monitoring stations around the exterior perimeter of the house and checking them monthly for termite activity. Once activity is found in a monitoring station a bait product is inserted into the station and monitoring continues after feeding activity ceases. In contrast to repellent termiticides, baits have the potential of eliminating the colony. This is the least invasive treatment method.

Termite control is not something that should be attempted by a homeowner. It requires extensive knowledge of termite behavior, construction techniques, and product use. In addition, specialized equipment is typically necessary to properly treat a home. If you suspect you have termites have it confirmed by a professional.

Choosing a pest management company:

• Get recommendations from neighbors, friends and coworkers who have had similar work done.

• Look for a company that has a long standing reputation in the community.

• Contact at least three companies for treatment plans and estimates.

• Check with your state regulatory agency for any regulatory actions against the company.

• Select companies that are members of the National Pest Management Association and their respective state pest control association.

• Consider quality rather than price when evaluating companies and service contracts.

• Carefully read service contracts, guarantees, and/or warranties, or have them reviewed by an attorney.

If you have termites always call a professional. Don’t be pressured into making a hasty decision, damage in the short term is usually minimal.