There are very few insects in this area that can be more destructive to your home than termites. Most of these bugs are completely blind, but they don't let that stop them from causing structural damage to your home, decks, and other wooden surfaces around your property.
At Mike's Pest and Termite Control, our Waldorf pest control specialists have seen first-hand the damage these tiny bugs can cause. We have spent years developing innovative ways to eliminate these bugs from your home. Here is a look at the most effective types of termite control you can implement around your home.
The Anatomy Of Termites: Understanding Their Behavior And Habits
In Waldorf, the most common type of termite that homeowners have to deal with is the eastern subterranean termites. As their name suggests, these termites live underground. They require a lot of moisture and are rarely seen above ground because their bodies could dry out if exposed to natural sunlight for too long. Instead, they build long, thin mud tubes that stretch from the nest to a food source; this allows them to travel without being exposed to natural sunlight.
Subterranean termites typically live in large underground nests containing several thousand termites in one colony. There are three groups in each subterranean termite colony which include the workers, soldiers, and reproductives. Both the workers and the soldiers are completely blind but see their senses to navigate throughout the colony and fight off predators. The reproductive termites are the only ones who can see but have limited eyesight. In most colonies, the queen and king are the only reproductives in the nests. When other reproductive termites reach full maturity, they will use their wings to fly away and find a mate. Once these winged termites have found a mate, they will lose their wings and start their own colony.
Understanding The Termite Threat: Why Termites Infest Homes
A termite's diet consists of objects high in cellulose; this typically means they eat a lot of wood and other plants. Subterranean termites, in particular, like to eat extremely damp wood. They also prefer if the wood is dead and not treated. If you have a lot of moisture or rotting wood around your home, you could attract subterranean termites to your home.
Protecting Your Property: Effective Termite Prevention Methods
As we mentioned, termites love areas that have plenty of moisture. Some of the things that you can do to prevent termites from invading your home include:
- Make sure that your gutter systems are working properly and able adequately divert water from your home
- Don't stack firewood too close to your home
- Fix any leaky pipes you have around your home as soon as possible
- Keep the crawl spaces under your home well-ventilated
Subterranean termites are attracted to homes and structures that have wood-to-ground contact. Make sure that all of your wooded surfaces are not touching the ground. Also, avoid using mulch around your home as it can retain water exceptionally well and could attract termites.
Professional Termite Extermination: Know When To Call The Experts
The longer you let a termite infestation go untreated, the worse the damage to your home will be. At Mike's Pest and Termite Control, we can quickly eliminate the termites around your Waldorf home for good. Give us a call today to see how we can eliminate the termites on your property and keep them away for good.