Ant & Termite FAQ
“I had winged ants so I sprayed them myself and took care of the problem.”
“The termite swarmers come out every year, but they only last for a day, so I don’t have a termite problem.”
“My home is brick, so termites cannot hurt it.”
These are just a few of the comments we hear that can turn into expensive mistakes. Let’s take them one at a time.
Subterranean termite reproductive swarmers look a lot like ants, but the control strategy is completely different. Killing the termite swarmers does nothing to control the actual termite colony that is damaging your home. The purpose of the swarmers is to flutter away and start a new termite colony, which is fine in the great outdoors. We do need termites to facilitate decomposition of dead trees. When it comes to your home, the termite swarm in and of itself is not what causes damage. However, it does indicate that you have a well-established termite colony in the area, likely feeding on your home.
What to do? Collect a few specimen in a jar or in a baggie. Schedule a termite inspection. Show the inspector the specimen you collected so that they can be positively identified.
Termite swarmers that emerge inside your home won’t live very long, even if you do nothing about them. When a colony generates a swarm, they are released and have no further interaction with the parent colony. The parent colony remains as it was, business as usual. And that business is feeding on your home.
What to do? Again, collect some specimen so that our inspector can positively identify them.
Brick homes are not 100% brick. There are normally wooden studs, joists, rafters, etc. Drywall has paper backing. Wooden door frames, window frames, etc. Termites can even feed on contents of your home such as books, boxes, and anything else that contains cellulose.
What to do? Avoid the false sense of security. Evidence of termite activity in a brick home should be taken just as seriously as evidence in a non-brick home.
Bottom line, if you see any evidence of pest activity in, on, or around your home and you aren’t completely sure what caused it, collect some specimen and give us a call. We are happy to help you determine what is causing it and recommend an appropriate cost-effective solution.