You have probably heard it said that everything has a season. In the case of termites, their season comes once a year. Now, to set the record straight, termite season is not the only time of year when termites damage homes. It only marks when fully mature termite colonies are looking to branch out. How do they do this? They do it by using swarmers, winged termite kings and queens. These flying reproductives have one job in life, and that is to fly out and find new locations to build new nests. If your home piques their interest, it could be at risk of a termite invasion. We are here to help you prevent this. Here are some ways you can get your Eureka home ready for termite season this year.
How To Identify Termite Swarmers
Many people describe termite swarmers as looking like long flying ants. The biggest difference between termite swarmers and flying ants is their oval-shaped bodies and longer wingspan. The easiest way to tell them apart is to look at their bodies. If it has a pinched waist, it’s an ant, if its body is uniform all the way down, it's a termite.
What It Means If Swarmers Are Around
Where you see termite swarmers can reveal many things. If you see termite swarmers outside your home, it means that there is a fully mature termite colony nearby, most likely within a mile. If you see swarmers or their wings inside your home, we have some bad news for you. The presence of swarmers within your home is a good indication that it is already being eaten by destructive termites.
How To Make Your Home Less Attractive To Termites
If your Eureka home is currently swarmer-free, here are some great ways you can keep these flying wood eaters at bay.
Clean your yard of anything termites might enjoy as a meal. This includes tree stumps, leaf piles, sticks, cardboard, or any other wood-based products.
Keep piles of firewood as dry as possible, at least 30 feet from your home’s exterior, and up off the ground.
Make sure your home has a non-wood barrier between exterior soil and its structural wood.
Do not use wood-based mulches close to your home’s exterior as it can lure in hungry termites.
Check your gutters to make sure they are working properly. If broken or clogged, have them repaired or cleaned immediately.
Eliminate sources of standing water around your home that could be negatively affecting the condition of your home’s wood.
Fill in gaps and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation using a caulking gun.
Fix any leaks within your home and consider using dehumidifiers to combat high humidity.
Repair or replace structural wood around your home that has been water damaged or affected by rot or decay.
The fastest way to attract termites is with softened easily accessible wood. The less attractive and available your home is, the less likely termites will be to settle down nearby this termite season. That being said, these prevention tips are not a guaranteed way to keep away termites. If you are looking for a better solution, here is what we recommend.
Our Best Solution To Termites
At Accurate Termite & Pest Solutions, we offer a wide variety of effective solutions to any pest problem facing your home, including termites. If you are worried about swarmers invading your property this termite season, we are ready with the protection you need.
Give us a call today to find out whathigh-quality termite control will look like for your Eureka home.