Just hearing the word “termites” might be enough to instigate feelings of fear and stress, and that’s understandable. Each year, termites are responsible for approximately 5 billion dollars of damage to homes across the country, and all of this destruction is easily avoidable if you know what to look for and how to address it.
At Westfall's Lawn and Pest, we provide termite pest control in Bradenton that helps homeowners protect their homes from these pests throughout the year. We use methods that are backed by science and that are safe for people and the environment, in order to create lasting results. If you’d like more information on how we can work with you, please visit our termite control page at any time. Here is a bit of information that will prime your knowledge base for how to tackle termites in your own home.
When Is Termite Season In Bradenton?
Termites in Bradenton are pests that seek out moist conditions as well as water damage and warmth, which means that local homes are pretty much always at risk.
Residents may see termite swarmers on their property as early as February, and this is troublesome because these are the reproductive members of the colony that leave in order to start their own. Something like a big rainstorm is also a factor in the attraction of termites because these scenarios obviously produce a surplus of moisture but can also leave mulch, garden beds, and other greenery over-watered and ripened for termites.
The amount of heat that the area experiences during this time is also a very real factor in how attracted to properties termites will be. Unfortunately, some people in the area have experienced new termite activity in the winter months as well, which is due to the use of space heaters and the necessary warmth they produce.
Homeowners should, however, note that once they are dealing with a termite infestation, their activity will continue 24/7 until there is professional intervention. Their main objective is to access wood to eat, and once termites have found some, whether in a home’s walls or foundation, they will continue eating away.
This situation is why termite problems have the potential to be a year-round issue in the Bradenton area. An additional factor that makes eliminating termite activity a challenge, thus allowing them to flourish throughout the year, has to do with whether termite colonies are usually located. Sometimes they are located in wall voids, and other times they’re situated inside foundations. Either way, the average termite infestation goes on for at least 18 months before it’s intercepted.
If you’ve started seeing termite swarmers around your home, it’s a sure sign that a colony has sprung up on your property - or worse, that several colonies have. If you’ve seen flying termites around your Bradenton home or property, you don’t have time to waste: get in contact with a termite treatment specialist immediately before termites chew through your home!
For more information on termite season in Bradenton and how to best avoid it, contact Westfall's Lawn and Pest today.
How Do I Know If My Home Has Termites?
Having a termite infestation is a problem that hits approximately 600,000 homes across the country each year, and unfortunately, your home could just as easily be attractive to termites. But determining if you have a termite problem is much more difficult than you might think, primarily because of where these problems start. Not only do termites live inside of wood, but they are also usually living below the ground, in the case of subterranean termites.
Termite damage is a slow burn, happening over the course of many years, so you wouldn’t necessarily be able to tell from the superficial signs until they were very distinct. It’s also possible to confuse some of the implications of termite damage with structural flaws that can come with a home that you’re getting to know or because of time. It’s not uncommon for water damage to take its toll on your walls over the years, but it’s also easy for a homeowner to assume that they have water damage, when in fact, it’s termites. It’s also not uncommon to have windows and doors that swell when temperatures rise, but this can also be a sign of termite activity.
The most effective way to know for sure if your home has been invaded by termites is with professional inspections and monitoring. As is very common with termites, the majority of their activity occurs out of sight, in places like your foundation, walls, garages, and other structures like sheds. This fact, along with the difficult nature of preventing termites in the first place, makes professional assistance an absolute must-have. At Westfall's Lawn and Pest, we work with homeowners throughout the year in order to eliminate active colonies and prevent new ones from taking shape.
For more information on termite removal in Bradenton, contact Westfall's Lawn and Pest today.
What Does A Termite Infestation Look Like?
Part of the trouble with having a termite infestation is that the visible signs don’t necessarily appear right away, but rather, once their activity is well underway. It can take homeowners at least 18 months in some cases to understand that they have an active colony on their property. And all the while, termites are launching an all-out campaign against a home, slowly eating away at the wood inside of it. When termite damage does become apparent, some of the signs that homeowners should look out for include:
- The presence of termite swarmers, which are the members that leave in order to start their own colonies
- A strong, mildew-like scent
- Hollow-sounding walls and wood
- Frass, which is termite fecal matter that resembles sawdust
- Noticing termites
- Odd behavior from pets
- Buckling ceilings
- Peeling paint and wallpaper
- Issues with flooring tiles
- Doors and windows that won’t close properly
- Discoloration on drywall
- Small holes in walls
- Wood that has a shredded appearance
- Small piles of discarded termite wings
In addition to the signs of termite damage, homeowners should be aware of two more traits of termite activity: size and the potential for additional colonies. With regard to size, this may vary from species to species. Take the subterranean termite, for example. Their colonies can contain between 60,000 to one million members, whereas the Formosan termite colonies usually contain a minimum of 350,000 members and can reach totals of two million.
When homeowners are dealing with termite issues, the chance of developing another issue is never too far away. Termite swarmers, which are the winged reproductive members of the colony, leave during swarming season, which varies from species to species, in order to start their own. They leave once a colony has reached its capacity, and usually all exit at the same time.
For more information on termite colony elimination, contact Westfall's Lawn and Pest today.
How Does Westfall's Lawn and Pest Get Rid Of Termites?
At Westfall's Lawn and Pest, we have extensive experience working with homeowners on their termite concerns, and we’re ready to address any challenges that our customers might face. Every service that we offer is based around the principles of Integrated Pest Management, which is a system that focuses on long-term pest-free living but that is also able to achieve short-term relief. These methods also involve the use of only the safest EPA-approved products so that they never bring undue harm to people, their pets, or the environment. Our termite control process is no different.
We begin by deploying one of our licensed and certified pest control specialists to perform a home inspection. It’s at this point that we look for conducive conditions, as well as signs of potential activity and damage, and the species of termite that’s present. Once we’ve been able to determine the extent of termite damage in a property, we’ll typically implement the Trelona ATBS termite baiting system, which is unlike many other termite treatments on the market. With this system, there is no trenching, no excessive use of chemicals, and no digging. Rather, it’s a low-profile way of allowing us to keep our customers’ properties intact and provides ongoing protection from termites season after season.
We also include residential termite control as part of our total pest control program so that we can ensure that more homeowners receive the preventative care that we know they need. Preventing termites is one of the most responsible steps that a homeowner can take, and we believe that it’s our mission to make that a reality.
For more information on professional termite control in Bradenton, contact Westfall's Lawn and Pest today.
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