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Termites

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Termites Are Social Pests

Termites always work in a group of others. These social pests are constantly working together for the greater good of the colony. Whether they’re searching for food, reproducing, or building tunnels, they’ll work together. Another interesting thing about termites is that they consume cellulose, which can be found in various materials, including plants, lumber, furniture, paper, and cardboard.

Worker termites chew cellulose before feeding it to other members of the colony. San Francisco homeowners with termites will likely encounter termite mounds if they don’t eliminate the pests as quickly as possible. The presence of termite mounds confirms that your termites have overgrown their existing colony. The colony is primarily located underground. Once it gets larger, it will need to expand into new areas, so they’ll build mounds.

Termites will also build burrows in wood to create nests. Termites build mud tubes that allow them to gain access to nearby wood materials. Although the United States is home to several termite species, the most common is the Subterranean termite. Unfortunately, this termite is the most destructive since it is responsible for roughly 95% of the damage done to American homes, businesses, and other structures annually.

A Termite Colony Has Several Groups

When studying a termite colony, you will discover several groups of termites. For instance, most termite colonies have soldiers, workers, and swarmers. They’ll also have a queen and king.

Queen

The queen termite is one of the colony’s most important members since it creates more workers and soldiers. At just 4” long, the queen termite is the colony’s largest member and needs assistance moving around. Several hundred workers will need to push the queen through the tunnels to relocate her.

She will produce eggs until the colony has enough workers to ensure that the colony can be well cared for. A queen termite can produce as many as 30,000 eggs in just 24 hours.

King

King termites primarily work with queen termites to ensure that the colony has plenty of workers and soldiers. During the colony’s early days, the king and queen will produce enough workers to guarantee that intricate nests can be established.

Workers

Worker termites are roughly 10mm with a soft, light body. Although they don’t look like much, these termites are responsible for most of the work. The worker termites will help build nests, groom other termites, feed termites, and forage for food. These termites work around the clock and never get breaks.

Soldiers

As you’d expect from the name, soldier termites fight predators. Although termites can be attacked by other insects, their biggest concern is nearby ants. Soldiers will put a stop to their attacks and protect the rest of the termites in the colony.

Reproductives

Once termites have established a viable colony, they will be interested in moving elsewhere. They’re constantly looking to expand and build colonies in other parts of the property. Kings and queens will produce reproductives or swarmers during spring. The swarmers have wings so they can leave the colony and fly to other areas. Once they’ve found a suitable location, they’ll begin working to build a new colony.

A termite colony can only have one king and one queen. However, they can have hundreds of soldiers, workers, and swarmers.

Primary Type Of Termites In San Francisco

San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States. Nevertheless, it is home to many pests, including Subterranean termites. While residents may encounter other termites, Subterranean termites are the primary threat.

More About Them

You’ll want to learn as much as you can about Subterranean termites and their colonies. Although these termites are different in several ways, their colonies still contain soldiers, workers, and swarmers. They’ll also have a king and queen. Swarmer termites of this species tend to reach half an inch and grow wings. Workers and soldiers are roughly the same sizes but there are two differences. Soldiers have longer heads and strong jaws which are used to defend the colony.

Behavior

Like many other termite species, Subterranean termites like building underground nests, but they can live above ground in moist locations. To gain access to their food sources safely, they’ll build and use mud tubes. Subterranean worker termites eat products that contain cellulose. Once they’ve done that, they can charge the cellulose with other members of the colony. When spring arrives, the colony will provide reproductive termites that will attempt to build more nests elsewhere.

Biggest Concerns

What are the biggest concerns associated with termite infestations? Do you need to worry about your health and safety? Do you need to protect your pets? Thankfully, there is no need to worry about your safety or the health of your loved ones. Instead, you need to focus on defending your valuable assets. Subterranean worker termites have strong jaws so they can chew through any home’s wood. If you don’t get rid of them, they’ll destroy your home.

Flying Ants Vs Flying Termites

Wings – Flying termites have wings of equal size, but flying ants have wings of different sizes. Another difference is that flying ants have strong wings while flying termite wings can be ripped from their body easily.

Waist – Flying ants have a waist similar to other ants because it is pinched in the middle. Flying termites do not. Their bodies are thicker at all points.

Antennas – If the antennas are elbowed, it is a flying ant. If they’re straight, you’re dealing with flying termites.

Things To Understand About Termites

  • Worker termites never stop consuming cellulose and feeding other members of the colony. Since they eat nonstop, you cannot delay getting rid of them.
  • The termite colony on your property may stick around for 50, 60, or even 70 years.
  • An ordinary termite colony in San Francisco can house as many as half a million insects.
  • Termites create problems for San Francisco residents, but they are great for nature because they dispose of deadwood.
  • Most termites cannot live without having constant access to water.
  • Although most termites build nests underground, they can live above ground as long as they can reach a water source.
  • Ants often kill termites.
  • Working with a professional is an effective way to eliminate a termite colony.
  • You can find 2,000 termite species around the world, but only 40 live in America.
  • Subterranean termites destroy homes in every state in America except for Alaska.
  • Worker termites are the only colony members that can digest cellulose. They will need to gather food and feed other termites in the colony.
  • Queen termites live a long time unless they’re eliminated by an exterminator.

Primary Risks Associated With Termites

How dangerous are termites? Ultimately, termites create other issues. For starters, they will chew any wood object they can find. They’ll destroy your wood porch, siding, columns, and furniture. If you don’t put a stop to the infestation, your assets will be destroyed before you know it. Since worker termites eat 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, you cannot afford to ignore this issue.

Removing A Termite Infestation From Your Property

You need to assemble a comprehensive plan to deal with the termite infestation swiftly. Failing to do so will put your most valuable asset at risk, but it won’t be easy to fix the issue. Termites are difficult to find because they can travel up to 300 feet away from their colonies to consume wood. They use numerous pathways to reach nearby food sources. If you don’t effectively eliminate the entire colony, the problem will continue and you’ll need to treat the infestation again. Stop second-guessing yourself and hire us as your primary pest control company. We’ve been getting rid of termites in San Francisco for many years, so we’re confident we can help you.

Dealing With A Termite Colony On My Own

Can you possibly eliminate a termite colony without hiring a professional exterminator? Ultimately, you could but it might not be a good decision. When using over-the-counter chemicals, you never know how dangerous they are or how effective they are. When trying to fix the issue alone, the risks are great. You may not get sick, but you could waste your money. Many people will try to fix the problem with DIY methods to no avail. Use our services so you can fix the problem and get satisfactory results fast.

When Will You Call Back?

Contact our pest control offices today and we’ll contact you back in 24 to 48 hours.

How Safe Is Your Termite Removal Service?

Our company works hard to deliver safe solutions to all of your pest problems. We know that some San Francisco pest control companies will use dangerous chemicals to get rid of pests, but we won’t. We feel it is pertinent to protect our clients every step of the way. Our exterminators eliminate termites using products checked and registered by the EPA so you’ll stay safe at all times.

Preventing Future Termite Colonies From Targeting Your Home

  • Since termites need access to water, you need to prevent water from sitting around your home’s foundation. Check your gutters to make sure they’re working properly. Deal with any peaky faucets or pipes to avoid issues.
  • Humidity is a problem as well. Stop termites from invading your home by reducing the humidity levels in your basement, attic, and crawlspace.
  • Don’t store firewood close to your home, and keep it elevated at least five inches from the ground.
  • Wood mulch should be placed 15 or 20 inches away from your home’s foundation.
  • Check your home’s foundation for signs of termite infestations.
  • Contact our company when you suspect you have termites.

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