If you are ever going to see a termite, now's the time. They swarm in the spring, at dusk, usually after a rain.
Often, termites are confused with flying ants. There are differences: Ants have a pinched or thin waist; termites have a thick waist. An ant's antennae are bent; a termite's are straight. Ants have eyes; termites don't. Both have two pairs of wings, but for ants, the pair closest to the head is longer than the second pair. The termites' two pairs of wings are equal in length.
Both ants and subterranean termites (the type of termite we have in this area) swarm at this time of year. The swarm is made up of reproductives, young insects mature enough to mate, seeking to start new colonies.
A subterranean termite swarmer is one-quarter to three-eighths of an inch long, black to pale yellow-brown, with pale to smoky-brown wings that cover the body when the insect is not in flight.
Let's say you missed the dramatic swarming moment. Here are the telltale signs that termites have arrived: Mud tunnels along the foundation of the house. Buckling paint or tiny holes in wood. Wings or sawdust near windows, doors or garage. (Termites lose their wings after swarming.)
The only way to eliminate the insect is to call a professional exterminator. No other way exists to safely rid your home of a termite infestation.
The professional pest-control company may suggest one eradication method or a combination of these applications:
Baiting systems: Monitoring stations are placed in strategic locations in the ground surrounding a home. If termite activity is detected, the monitoring devices are transferred into a bait tube that contains a pesticide called hexaflumuron.
Hexaflumuron does not contaminate the environment because it does not penetrate the surrounding earth. Termites feed on the bait and return to the colony to feed the colony members. This method may require several trips for installation and monitoring. Control may take from a few weeks to more than a year.
Sub-slab method: A tool or tube is inserted through holes drilled in the concrete slab. The pesticide is injected through the tube into the soil beneath the slab. Holes drilled in the slab should be no farther apart than 12 inches in order to form a chemical barrier.
