Custom Search
|
|
Deal With Eastern Subterranean Termites
In Virginia, homeowners must deal with the effects of Eastern subterranean termites. While they may “occasionally” get a drywood termite infestation in furniture, that usually only applies to furniture that was shipped to the state from another place down South, such as Florida. Drywood termites are something more suitable for people down South. Large Subterranean Colonies Unlike drywood termites, Eastern subterranean termites live in subterranean colonies located between 10 and 15 feet underground. And they are definitely a problem. Eastern subterranean termite colonies can be quite large—and certainly larger than the average drywood termite colony—sometimes having more than 3,000 termites in one colony. These termites have the tendency to tunnel through the ground and come up to feed on just about any type of moist wood product, so they are basically nature’s recyclers. On the other hand, while Eastern subterranean termites will usually feed on dead trees and things of that nature—which is a good thing, since it helps promote breakdown within the eco-system—they will also feast on wood-built homes, which is where the problems come in. The problem is, they don’t know the difference between a dead tree in the forest or your homes. Underground Shelter Tubes Eastern subterranean termites have to make underground shelter tubes because their bodies need to be moist in order to survive. These shelter tubes are essentially mud tubes or mud tunnels that the termites will actually make with soil and their saliva. The tubes act like a wick that keeps the body moist. They also keep the environment dark, which is important since Eastern subterranean termites need to have dark, wet, moist environments in order to live. By traveling through underground shelter tubes, Eastern subterranean termites get to the homes they are feasting on. These tunnels are essentially their version of highways, and they allow them to go from wherever they are staying to the feeding place—which in termite control cases in Leesburg, is typically someone’s home. Once they make their way to a food source, the Eastern subterranean termites will usually feed on wood in order to get to the cellulose. They are feeding on the cellulose in the wood, and they will never stop feeding. They go 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or at least the workers do. Because the king and queen of a termite colony can’t feed on their own, they need a worker termite to do the feeding for them. While the workers are feeding on the cellulose, they are breaking it down in their stomachs. They will then go back to the colony below ground and feed the king, the queen, and the juveniles through what is known as sharing of the food. And that is how they keep the colony going. Two Main Options In my experience, there are a couple of different ways to deal with Eastern subterranean termites. These methods generally break down into two main categories: liquid treatments or baiting systems. Both are aimed at eliminating the entire colony; the only difference is in how the elimination is done. Although both baiting and liquid treatment options are effective, I generally advise people that the liquid treatment is the more all-encompassing option for most homeowners. With the liquid treatment, a termite control specialist in Leesburg would inject a termiticide around the soil around the foundation of the home that bonds with the soil and creates a perimeter around the home. When termites attempt to go through the perimeter, they will ingest the termiticide and carry it back to their colony where it will be transferred to all of the other termites. Basically, that is how to wipe out an entire colony. Baiting is the other option for getting rid of Eastern subterranean termites. During the baiting process, a termite control professional in Leesburg will install bait stations approximately every 10 feet around the outside of the home. These stations will be monitored every three months, until termite activity is spotted in a particular area. It is at that point when the professional will swap out the monitoring block for a synthesis inhibitor, which is a particular type of pesticide block. For termite control in Leesburg, Loudoun Lawn and Pest Management is the place you need to call. Our goal is to be the company that you always turn to when you need to rid your home of pests. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Casey Jones is a writer for www.yodle.com”>Yodle , a business directory and online advertising company. Find a pest exterminator or more local.yodle.com/articles/">related articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. |
|