Bad Bugs That Do Damage

If you think have termites in your house, it's likely to be Subterranean termites which are the most common type of termite in the US. According to this UMASS publication, Subterranean termites cause about 95% of the termite-related damage in the US. The other types, Drywood and Dampwood are mostly confined to small regions of the country.

This publication is one of the best that I've found to summarize how to identify if your home has termite or carpenter ant infestation. Some of the signs of Subterranean termites include mud tunnels, piles of wings and damaged wood that may sound like a hollow thud when tapped with a hammer. It's interesting to note how wood damaged by ants can look different than wood damaged by termites. Ants leave the tunnels in the wood clean where as the termites leave the tunnels messy looking.

The publication also provides a good summary of treatment options with the trade-offs for bait and barrier systems.

For those concerned about using toxic pesticides to get rid of termites, there are some alternatives. But you have to be careful to make sure that the alternatives do in fact work. One potential pesticide alternative is Orange Oil. This a by-product of orange juice production. There has been claims that the chemical called d-Limonene that is found in Orange Oil is a natural insect repellent for citrus. This San Francisco news article from an entomologist also makes this claim saying it's effective against dry-wood termites. However, the orange oil is effective for only a few days. Nevertheless, since it's not technically a pesticide, it's safe for homeowners to apply.

Not all experts agree that Orange Oil is effective against dry-wood termites. This UC Davis resource claims that there has been no published studies verifying the efficacy of Orange Oil in controlling drywood termites. There may be questions about its usefulness against drywood termites, but I don't see anyone saying it's effective against other termites like the subterranean termites. So first be sure that the termites you have are in fact the drywood variety. My post on termite identification may help you determine the type of termites you have. Drywood termites are most often found in California, Arizona, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia (credit to NPMA).

Labels: drywood termites, pesticide alternatives

This ABC article describes some of the termite pest control scams that were experienced by their undercover investigation. These included:

• Inspector charged hundreds of dollars for surface spraying around the house which was useless for the termites being targeted
• Inspector who claimed the house needed a $500 treatment for subterranean termites without an interior inspection
• Subcontractor pest control that used bogus chemicals for the subterranean termite treatment before the building of a new house.

There are a few basic things to help avoid being ripped off. In addition to receiving several estimates, make sure the termite company is a member of the BBB and the National Pest Management Association. If you are having a house built, make sure to choose your own termite subcontractor.

I would not have thought that February would be an active month for termites especially in places like South Dakota. But according to this press release from South Dakota State University, termites do start becoming active indoors.

The termite type that is present in South Dakota and is the most common in the US is the Eastern subterranean termite. These termites are present in most southern states from New Mexico to Florida and include most of the northern states from South Dakota and Minnesota to New Hampshire.

Do I Have Termites?

Some signs that the Eastern subterranean termites may be present in your home include mud tubes around the foundation. Also, you might start noticing winged insects flying around. This is especially the case during this time of the year and into the spring. These could be termite swarmers also known as winged reproductives.

Here's a very good colored termite picture of the subterranean swarmer (source USDA).
If you're lucky, they may only be flying ants. Carpenter ants don't digest wood, but only use wood for nesting and shelter so they do much less damage. Here's one of the best photos that I've seen showing the difference between winged ants and winged termites. The easiest way to tell them apart is the antenna. The ants have bent antennas while the termite antennas are straight and bead-like. Also note that the termite does not have a pinched waist.

These eastern subterranean termite swarmers are typically about 3/8 of an inch size (including the wings). As we head into the spring, these swarmers will start coming out. In the north, they tend to come out without rain, but in the south the swarms typically come out after heavy rains.

Toxic pesticides are often used to kill termites and other damaging insects. Some pesticides can have many damaging effects on humans and especially children. This article from a home safety expert has some good tips about what to look for when hiring a pest control company to avoid any potential harm to children.

The first tip is to look for companies that practice integrated pest management which doesn't rely solely on pesticides but also uses many other non-pesticide techniques for both prevention and control. When pesticides must be used, request to see the label of any product being used.

The other tips help ensure that the pest control operator is properly licensed and experienced. These include asking for their state license number, certification number and certificate of insurance. Also, be sure to inquire about the operator's experience in dealing with the insects that you have. For example exterminators use to dealing with subterranean termites may not be familar with the best treatments for drywood termites. Asking for references and checking them out can help with this.

In addition to preventing harm to children, pesticide-free practices can also prevent harm to pets.

Pesticides are not the only thing to worry about. As I mentioned in this previous post, treated wood can also be dangerous especially to children. Some treated wood may contain arsenic which can leach out.

This ABC News article looks into another problem that New Orleans will have to face in the coming years: a potential explosion of Formosan termites. All the water damaged buildings are a virtual termite buffet. But there is some good news. Tests have shown lower Formosan populations after the flood. Even though these termites can survive 16 hours underwater, many did die during the flood. However, experts predict there could be a population explosion in about 3 years from now. Also, with all the debris that may be transported to dumps in other regions, there's the risk that Formosan termites could spread fast. The article warned against using any salvageable wood and furniture. These could be homes to the termites.

In the near future you may be able to get rid of termites without using poisons and chemicals like chlorpyrifos which is a toxic nerve poison. This article reports on research being done on sap from an Australian tree called the False Sandalwood Tree (Eremophila mitchellii Benth.). Tests have shown that this sap extract has been an effective termite repellant and termicide. Preliminary tests have shown that even low concentrations of this extract have been effective. The chemical responsible for the anti-termite properties has been isolated. The researchers are now trying to replicate it. Also, further tests are needed to see if it's effective against other kinds of termites.

They should see how it does against the Subterranean Formosan termites which are one of the most damaging kinds. If it works on these, I bet It'll work on many others.

I wonder if it's possible to get extracts of this False Sandalwood tree now. I found information about this tree, and the oil from its wood and bark is known as Buddha Wood Oil. It's used for pain relief of sore muscles. But I guess it's questionable whether this would work as a toxic-free pesticide.

This Providence Journal article has some useful information on carpenter ants. Rhode Island news has a good reason for reporting about carpenter ants since the Northeast is one of the areas in the country most affected by carpenter ants. I've also found this educational resource from Clemson University along with this carpenter ant picture.

From these resources, I've put together a summarized listing of the important facts about carpenter ants:

• Carpenter ants do not eat wood like termites, but tunnel into wood to make a nest
• Carpenter ants don't cause as much damage as termites
• Typical carpenter ants are one-quarter to one-half inch long and blackish
• Carpenter ants are attracted to moist wood
• Swarms of winged carpenter ants often emerge inside in the spring
• Swarms of winged carpenter ants are signs that there is a nest in the house
• One sign that carpenter ants are present is a sawdust-like pile outside an opening
• The ants' sawdust-like piles often have insect parts mixed among them
• Damage depends on how many active nests are inside the house

This understanding of the carpenter ants can help you formulate the best carpenter ant treatment and prevention. Here's a listing of some basic prevention and treatment methods:

• Sources of excess moisture inside your home need to be fixed
• Remove tree limbs that are touching the house
• Any other cracks around the house are possible entry points and should be sealed
• The best way to control carpenter ants is to find and destroy the nests
• Find nests by using baits and letting the ants lead you to the nests
• Home made baits can be made with maple syrup or honey on non-sticky side of tape
• One treatment is to drill small holes in the wood and inject an insecticide
• Boric Acid dust is an effective ant insecticide
• Maxforce Carpenter Ant Bait Gel is often used by professionals
• The Gel bait can be injected into cracks with syringes which keeps it away from pets and children

St. Petersburg Times reports that their county in Florida is experiencing the worst termite problem that they have seen in years. This looks like another case of warm and wet weather causing high termite activity.

What I find interesting is that it mentioned the people that do tents are booked up for months ahead of time. This makes me wonder how often tenting is used as a treatment for termites? From my research, I've noticed that tenting is really only effective for drywood termites. It's not effective for subterranean termites.

Subterranean termites make up 90% of all termite populations in the U.S. In addition, subterranean termites, unlike drywood termites, are very dependent on moisture. So when there has been a very rainy season, I would think the new termite infestations would be subterraneans. So I wonder if tenting is being oversold?

I found some research into this issue of tenting for termite control. In addition to making the point that fumigation tents are not useful for subterranean termites, it also includes several negatives about tenting. One issue is that for the gas to kill drywood termites, it has to penetrate the pours of the wood. If it can penetrate wood, it's going to penetrate the carpet, matresses, sofas, and clothing. Also there are a lot of logistical problems with tenting. There's the cost of moving yourself, your pets, plants, and food for up to 5 days. And the tenting process can damage your roof and landscape.

How does a termite infestation affect the sale of your house? A real estate advisor from Bankrate.com provides some information in this article.

The most important thing noted was to be upfront and honest about it rather than trying to hide it.

After the house has been treated, the article mentioned that it's a good idea to get another termite inspection before the house is put on the market. The inpspection report can be combined with previous ones to be included as part of the sales package. And be sure you confirm that the exterminator's warranty can be transfered to the buyer.

In my opinion it may be better to wait until you get a potential buyer since they would want an independent termite inspection. If the initial treatment was done to get rid of the termites, and you still have follow-up visits by that termite company, another official inspection would seem redundant before the buyer requests one. I suppose it may depend on the type of service you received from the exterminator service. As the article states, this inspection is typically paid by the seller and costs between $75 and $100.

How will the termites affect the resale value? Well, it's not going to help you any in the bargaining. However, the article had this optimistic note that a past infestation doesn't necessarily increase the probability of a future one, especially if your treatment included preventive measures like the installation of protective barriers.

Do you feel the pest control salesman is quoting you an unreasonable price for the termite contract? And is yearly contracts really necessary? Salesmen always like to lock their customers into long term contracts. It can be useful to see the opinions on others on these issues. This is where message forums can come in handy. Of course you always have to take the info with a grain of salt. Here's a thread at ClarkHoward's forum (famous consumer advocate) which discusses these issues. Here are some of the costs quoted in the thread along with some advice:

The first post mentioned a contract that cost $1370 in 2003 with $300/year. Now for renewal it'll cost $500 and then $200 a year.

This post mentioned the cost of the initial house termite treatemnt a few years ago was $400 and $200/year for continued certification. Recently, the contract was renewed the for $600.

One blamed regulation for higher costs and offered some advice. Due to current government laws limiting pesticides, full re-application is needed every 5 years. If you don't maintain the contract, it can cost thousands for a termite letter which will be necessary if you sell your home.

Some more adviced seemed reasonable: In your termite contract review what they say about termite infestation to see if they'll repair the damage or just offer a retreatement.

Finally, a long-time Florida resident thinks the yearly contracts for termite pest control is just a big money making scheme. He had a big two story house fumigated twice in 30 years costing a total of $1,500. His last house went without treatment for 5 years with no problems.

This is another case of wet weather bringing out the termites. This time it's in Sioux Falls South Dakota. The common termites in Sioux Falls are the subterranian termites. The article provides some useful info:

• Termites signs include soft wood, mud tubes inside or outside the home, and darkening or blistering of wood
• A typical termite pest control job costs anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000
• In the case reported in the story, sawdust was seen around the basement
• Many people wrongly assume damage is from water rather than termites
• Serious structural damage by termites is rare when caught early

The sawdust reminds me of a previous post which mentions that drywood termites often leave behind tiny wood pellets which is the cellulous that they can't digest. This post described termite sawdust as black dust with tan-colored specs and a granular texture.

If you live in Arizona, you probably appreciate the rain that you've received lately unless of course if you've been flooded. Unfortunately, termites like the rain also, and according to this press release from Termidor, August is the typical time that Arizona residents start to see signs of termites.

The article goes on to descibe the typical type of termite in the area, the desert subterranean termite. One especially interesting sign of these termites is the narrow, free-hanging tubes they build from ceilings or overhangs which can be as long as a foot.

Of course the press release recommends a liquid Termidor treatment. This got me thinking about Termidor. With a little research I found that they are like a franchise. Local pest control professionals have to take Termidor training to get authorized to apply Termidor treatments.

I then thought about how someone could determine if a local pest control professional was any good. Of course you can check the BBB. Also, I've found some online resources which allow consumers to give feedback on businesses that they've dealt with. As an example I looked to see what pest control companies they had in the Phoenix area. RipOffReport.com listed two companies. One of these companies had a pretty bad complaint from one customer who alleged the company's workers trashed his house. Respond.com listed several companies. Many had positive references. I always say the more information the better, especially when you're going to have sign a high-dollar contract.

Often it can take years for termite damage to become visible, and by that time there can already be significant damage. So how do you identify termites before the damage? This St. Louis Post-Dispatch article reports on how a dog is being used by a St. Louis termite inspector. Just like bomb sniffing , dogs can be trained for termite sniffing. A UF study found that trained dogs can be 96% accurate. So if you're buying a house and want to make sure it's free of termites, this might be something to consider if you can find it. This St. Louis inspector charges a minimum of $250.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, you can sometimes identify termites without seeing the termites or their damage. This Mercury News article provides some more insights into this. The writer of the article answers a reader's question regarding the presence of black dust around a cracked windowsill.

If the black dust has tan-colored specks with a granular texture, the writer warned it is likely to be termites.

Being from the Bay Area of California, the writer mentions that the two most common termites are dry wood and subterranean. Both are attracted to wood with some moisture, and if the window happens to be in a place that's prone to condensation, that could be the problem.

The writer also mentioned that the dust may not be termites. It could be mold, mildew or dry rot. In this case the black dust would be grey and powdery.

An owner of a pest control company gives some useful info on drywood termites in this Q&A from MarcoIsland Sun Times.

First, if you're getting termites in Florida this time of year, it's likely to be the drywood kind. This is good since they're not as bad as the Eastern subterranean termites. The drywood colonies are much smaller and take years before damage is done.

He also gives some useful details about identifying drywood termites. You don't need to know what a termite looks like to know that they are around. You often can identify them by what they leave behind. It's kind of gross, but be on the lookout for cellulose or wood pellets. Since drywood termites can't directly digest wood, they'll excrete these as their fecal waste. Another waste byproduct of the drywood termites is their wings. The alates shed their wings quickly. These termite wings can be identified by what he calls an "iridescent quality". Another feature of the wing is the 3, 5, or 7 veins on the leading edge. In addition to visual clues, the tunnels that they leave behind can be identified by touch. It'll feel smooth.

The pest control owner described two techniques to get rid of the termites. He considered the easiest and quickest method to be tenting in which a gas is pumped in. The problem is that drywood termites often return since there's no chemicals left behind. I don't know why he considers this the easiest method since it takes a lot of work to get the house ready for the termite fumigation and requires up to four days of vacancy.

The other method he mentioned is something that I've seen before but I don't think is too common. He's in the process of getting certified in this method so perhaps it is new. It involves heating the house to 140°F for 4 hours. This seems like it may be a good home remedy for termites. During a hot summer day, close up the house and blast the heater all day. It would probably be safer to let a professional try this. You'll have to make sure that anything flamable or prone to heat damage is removed from the house. The nice thing about this heat method is that there is no poison, chemicals, or pesticides to worry about after its done.

Technorati Tags: insects, termites

Looks like other countries may be leading the way with termite treatment innovations. This article reports that a Thai scientist has invented a herbal solution to get rid of termites. The components of this herbal pesticide include termeric, custard apple seeds, Indian neem, derris, Eupatorium odoratum Linn, chilli, Cyperus rotundus Linn, and mangosteen peel. These are then mixed with wood in a ratio of 99% wood, 1% herbs.

The herb pesticide is then used as baits. As the queen termite is fed with the pesticide, her egg production goes way down. The only problem with this system is that it can take up to a year to work. But on the other hand, it's a more environmentally friendly termite treatment.

I'll keep a lookout to see when these types of herb pesticides become more recognized in the U.S. These types of inventions often don't prove to be effective. Also, there's the question about whether the treatment works on all types of termites.

Technorati Tags: insects, termites

The Bradenton Herald article has some useful termite information. First, it mentioned three ways to spot a potential termite infestation:

1. Dirt trails with widths about a tenth of an inch on the foundation


2. Wood damage that follows the grain lines


3. Termite wings that are shed by termites around room perimeters and in window wells

The article also mentioned some misconceptions that I haven't seen before. It mentioned that termites don't usually leave piles of sawdust. This is more likely to be ant damage. Also, you'll likely see termite damage first in the basement or near the foundation before seeing damage in the top floors.

The article listed the two most typical termite treatments: bait traps and liquid barriers. The bait traps range in price from $1100 to $1400. The good points about bait traps is that they don't require holes to be drilled in the foundation and there's no poison injected into the soil. However, it takes longer for it to work. In the liquid barrier method, poison is injected into the soil. It gets rid of the termites faster and has a better success ratio. Also it's usually cheaper with prices ranging from $700 to $900.

Finally, the article ended with some common sense termite prevention methods such it fixing leaks and drainage problems since termites like moisture.

Technorati Tags: insects, termites

The author of this DailyBreeze.com article has both a good sense of humor and some good basic understanding of termites and termite pest control. He reports on his efforts to find a good termite inspector. As he puts it "It's like used-car shopping".

He had to get three termite estimates before he found one who provided a reasonable termite treatment plan with a reasonable cost. Unlike the other two, he didn't overstate the problem by calling it the worst termite infestation he's seen in 35 years. And he didn't recommend a procedure like tent fumigation which only kills drywood termites and not subterranean termites. His procedure was to treat only the affected areas. By keeping the treatment targeted and reasonable his cost was only around $700.

This reporter also gave some interesting termite facts such as there are 2500 different kinds of termites in the world with 17 in California. In Southern California, termites are affecting one out of five structures.

He identified the termites in his home to be the western subterranean termites or Reticulitermes hesperus, which the reporter mentioned is Latin for "wrecking crew."....

This article has some good termite lessons. The author describes the time when she lived in Los Angeles California and encountered swarms of termites in back of her house. She was in fear that her house would be turning to dust within days. She called frantically to get an exterminator over immediately. Apparently, she wasn't alone in her search for a termite company. The weather in the area was causing lots of termite swarming and she would have to wait at least a day for an inspection. This is a common fear of people. Swarming termites don't require immediate action.

With the help of the termite inspector, they found the source of the termites. The former owner of the house made the mistake of laying untreated wood on the ground as an edge for the asphalt driveway. Termites had made this their home. Once she got rid of this wood, the termite problem went away. No termite treatment was needed, and besides the wood along the driveway, there was no termite damage.

Subterranean formosan termites are not the only termites to worry about. This article from Naples Florida describes how the Asian subterranean termites have been proliferating in South Florida over the last few years. These Asian subterranean termites are just as damaging as the Formosan kind. Keep an eye out for foraging tubes which are small dirt tunnels running along side walls. This is one sign that you might have a termite infestation. The thing that makes Asian and formosan termites so damaging is due to their large and fast growing colonies.

This University of Florida web page has a good description of these Asian termites and the differences between them and the Formosan. Also note, I've added links to the left sidebar with all of the UF's termite web pages.

Some termite treatments the UF site recommends for either termite include chemical soil treatment to create a termite barrier protecting the structure and population control using termite bait stations.

What do termites look like? Well, here are some great pictures I found from the Agricultural Research Service (of the US Department. of Agriculture). Hopefully, they will help you in termite identification.

The below termite photo shows the US native subterranean termites. These are the soldier types.


Here's an example of a Formosan subterranean termite soldier. The Formosans are much more damaging than the native subterranean termites. Note the difference in the heads between this and the native.


Here's a photo of the what swarming Formosan termites look like. These winged termites are also called termite alates.


And here's a look at a queen termite. This is a picture of a Formosan subterranean termite queen. The queen can lay 1000's of eggs per day.

This SunHerald article has some good basic info on the differences between drywood, subterranean and formosan termites.

In terms of damage, Formosan termites are the worst. This aNola.com article has a story on ongoing research into the Formosan terimite. Formosan termites are native of the Far East. They've made their way into the US from coastal cities in the last 50 years. They've recently been very bad in New Orleans where major damage is being done in the historic French Quarter.

Early this month, scientists were warning that swarms of Formosan termites could be in the Baton Rouge area soon (from 2theadvocate news). Places in the south like Louisiana are particularly vulnerable to Formosan swarms due to the warm and moist environment. And June is the usual time when they start swarming.

Here are some disturbing facts about Formosans: they have very large colonies, can cause catastrophic damage in only a few months, the damage that they do can be difficult to detect until it's too late, and they can't easily be controled by soil poisons since they can survive without going into moist soil.

Back on the subject of termite identification, Formosan termites tend to be larger than US native termites like dry wood or subterraneans. The Formosans can live underground or just inside wood. Unlike the other ones, they can live in both conditions. Formosans are tan in color like dry wood termites. One important difference is that Formosans swarm later in the spring and only at night where as the dry wood ones swarm during the day.

Most of the subterranean termites live underground. Just a small percentage of them are workers who do the damage. Subterranean termite has a cigar-like black body with wings. And like the dry wood termites they tend to swarm during the day.

Here's a termite photo showing what Formosa termites look like:


Here's a termite picture showing what drywood termites look like:


And here's another picture of termite (subterranean kind):

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Tags: termites

This NBC 17 article reports that regions like North Carolina start seeing an invasion of termites this time of year as the temperatures warm.

The expert interviewed by this article estimated that "as much as 60 percent of the homes in North Carolina have or will see termite activity in their lifetime."

One of the common termite symptoms is the discolored, soft or decaying baseboards.

The expert described the typical home treatment that he uses: "digging trenches inside and outside a house's foundation all the way around the home and filling them with insecticide."

Just read a useful article from First Coast News about Florida and termites. January is when termites in Florida start to leave their colonies for new nesting sites.

The article mentions some good tips such as not signing a contract with pest control companies until you have compared at least 3 companies. In Florida, pest control companies are required by law to obtain a signed contract before treating a home. Also, be sure to check that the pest control company is licensed. For preventing termites, one useful tip it gave was to direct water out sources such as air conditioning drip lines or roof rain gutters away from the foundations.

In Florida, the two main types of termites are subterranean termites that attack structures from the ground and dry wood termites that can live in wood structures such as attics.

The above site (as listed on Google) has some useful info on determining if termites have took up residence in your home. The first sign is often the appearance of winged termites. The next signs are earthen shelter tubes which the termites use to as a passageway into the home from the soil. The third sign is hollow wood which is more likely to be found near the ground.

I've found a lot of useful resources for comparing termites vs ants. These all point to Google's image directory which caches picture thumbnails. First, its useful to understand how the different termites castes and how their looks change. Here's a good diagram of the termite life cycle:

Here are some good comparisons between ants and termites. In addition to a good ant vs. termite diagram, it also does a good job at showing the differences between the various kinds of termites (soldiers, workers, winged reproductives, kings, and queens).

The following picture has a good comparison between winged ants and termites. The site which is on Google also has some good pictures of damaged that termites cause.

To prevent damage by termites and to prevent rot, wood needs to be treated. However, beware of wood that has been treated with copper chromated arsentate (CCA). Lumber companies in the US have pledged to phase out the use of CCA in pressure-treated wood. However, there is still a lot of CCA wood in decks, play grounds, and in other places.

The arsenic in CCA wood has been proven to leach out. Long-term exposure to arsenic through breathing or skin contact can cause cancer. Be sure that you and your kids always wash hands after touching wood. Also, make sure kids don't play below decks. Be sure not to store toys under decks. Finally, don't burn treated wood.

This picture of a termite shows some of the features that make it different than an ant. First, notice the antennae. The antennaes of termites tend to be bead-like. The antennaes also tend to be fairly straight where as ant antennaes tend to have elbow-like bents. Second, notice the wings. Unlike ants, termites have two pairs of wings that are similar in size and shape. These wings are usually as long or longer than the body. Third, note the body of the termite. It's a soft-body that is pretty much even. There are no bulges and skinny areas as there are in ants. Also, note the color. The color tends to be pale. Finally, it should be noted that many termites that you may see will not have wings. Younger termites will not have wings. Other classes of termites known as worker termites and soldier termites also will not have wings. In later posts, I'll include additional termite pictures.

I'll start by listing the basic ways of eliminating termites. In later posts, I'll go into each of these ways in much more detail. First, I'll start with the proven ways. These are the methods most professionals use. The last part of the list will include some less proven ways which can be cheaper and less toxic.

• Liquid pestisides are probably the most common. Like all pestisides, termiticides are toxic and should be applied safely. But one thing that makes termiticides application safer is that they are usually applied to the soil under and around the home so it has less chance to come into contact with people and pets.
  


• Termite baits are beginning to be used more and more. Instead of killing the termites like the pesticides, the baits are picked up as food by the worker termites and brounght back to the colony. This can provide a less toxic solution to getting rid of termites, however, it is usually more expensive and take a longer time.
  


• Nematodes is one organic alternative to chemical treatments. Nematodes are wormlike creatures which are deadly parasites to termites, but are harmless to people and pets. They can be bought online and delivered through the mail. One thing to point out is that their effectiveness is questionable.
  


• I've seen information regarding temperature methods to get rid of termites (also ants and roaches). One method would heat the house to above 120 degrees farenheit by blowing hot air into the rooms (after all flammable items have been removed). Another method does the opposite and chills the house with liquid nitrogen to -20 degrees farenheit (after pipes have been drained) These temperatures make the condition inside the walls unsurvivable for the insects. I have just seen a little on these techniques and I'm not sure how cost-effective they are.
  

As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So in this post, I'll give some basic ways to prevent termites from getting inside your home:

• Store firewood, lumber and other wood products away from your house. Also, be sure to completely remove all old stumps that are near the house.
  


• Keep the basement and areas around your foundation dry. Make sure you have proper drainage. Also make sure you leave room between bushes and your house. Termites need moisture along with wood.
  


• Keep everything that's wooden well painted. Paint that's pealing and cracking provides a way into the wood for the termites. Be sure to coat all wood heavily with resins, stains and paints.

Welcome! This blog is intended to be a resource for all those who are battling destructive bugs. Nothing is more distressing than finding an infestation of termites eating up your home, or seeing ants taking over your kitchen.

In this blog, I'll include resources to help you identify the type of insect that you've found in your homme. From termite pictures to termite diagrams, I'll do my best to help you track down the source of the problem. In addition, I'll provide tips about what can help and the required steps that should be done.

Together, we can win the battle of the bugs and keep these nasty creatures away from our family and home.