Springtime in Cincinnati doesn’t only mean the start to the baseball season, well not yet this year, but it’s also the time that we see overwintering pest reemerge. Check out our newsletter to find out what’s new with Sure Thing this spring but also what we’re expecting to see pest and termite wise in Cincinnati.
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Springtime in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky brings warming temperatures, blooming flowers, outdoor sports, and gardening! This is also the time that a lot of homeowners realize they have a termite infestation.
Why worry about Termites?
Termites in Cincinnati are a sneaky and destructive insect. They have been compared to a silent wrecking crew because of the amount of serious damage they can cause. Each year, termites cause about $5 billion worth of damage and treatment cost in the United States. This damage can add up to thousands and typically isn’t covered by homeowner’s insurance. Additionally, termites and termite damage can cause serious problems when you go to sell or purchase a home which we’ll discuss in a later blog post.
What are the warning signs of Termites?
The first obvious signs of a termite issue are mud tubes (shelter tubes). These tubes are about the width of a pencil but can be as wide as a sheet of paper. Termites in Cincinnati build shelter tubes because they don’t have a hard exoskeleton like ants so they need something to protect them from the elements when they leave the soil. Not seeing shelter tubes? See the 2nd picture below.
The next sign you want to look for our wings. When termites swarm (the next generation) they shed their wings and then try to go back into the soil to form their own new colony. If you have a swarm inside your home, you’ll typically find thousands of wings by a door or window as they’re going to the light to get back outdoors. See the 3rd picture below.
The last visual sign is mud on walls or the floor, termites don’t know which way is up, down, left or right so they’ll end up poking out of the wall or floor and then place some mud over this area to seal the hole. See the 1st picture below.
See any of the signs mentioned above or pictured below reach out to us at 513-247-0030 or help@surethingpc.com to get your termite issues solved with the Sure Cure. Not seeing any of the signs mentioned above but still worried about termites don’t hesitate to reach out for a termite inspection.
Termite damage can be far reaching. These pests often eat away at the structural wood of your home. This can lead to structural issues that compromise the integrity of your house. If left unchecked, termite damage can leave you with extensive repairs that are expensive to address. You can minimize the treat of termite damage by learning how to spot the signs of activity. You can spot signs of termite activity and damage by looking for mud tubes, inspecting the wood around your home, and getting a professional termite inspection.
Look for mud tubes
Termites build mud tubes to travel back and forth between the colony and their food supply. The mud tubes serve to protect them so they can move around without encountering threats on the way. Another function of the mud tubes is to keep the termites in close contact with moisture. Subterranean termites tend to build their colonies in or near moisture rich soil. This provides them with the moisture they need to survive. The mud tubes are built as a highway of sorts between the moisture rich soil and the wood the termites eat on. This makes it easy for the termites to return quickly to the soil whenever they need to. You can look for mud tubes under your house or along the foundation perimeter.
Inspect the wood around your home
There are certain areas around your home that you can inspect for signs of termite damage. If you have access to a crawlspace under your house then you can take a look at some of the foundational wood. That is often the first place that you will see signs of termite activity. Wood that has been damaged by termites can have a wavy appearance, have spots that have clearly been eaten away, or sound hollow when tapped on. The other area of your house that you should inspect for termite damage is the framing around your windows and doors. These areas are almost always constructed of wood no matter what types of other materials are used for the home. Check each of these areas for the same type of damage you look for under your house.
Get a professional termite inspection
The most effective way to spot termite damage is to hire a professional to spot it for you. A professional termite inspection can provide you with a lot of information about the condition of your house. You will learn if there is a current infestation, signs of damage, and signs of previous treatment. All of this information is then used to determine the best course of treatment to eradicate the termites.
Spotting termite damage early can minimize the extent of the damage. If you see any signs of activity when you inspect the wood of your home, take quick action to eradicate the issue. Bring in professional help to have the best chance of catching termite activity in the early stages. If you do discover a termite infestation the most effective course of action is to bring in a pest control professional.
The most effective way to deal with termites is to bring in professional help. In Cincinnati, you have a number of options when it comes to getting professional termite treatment. Two of the most effective options available in the area for eradicating termites are the Advance® Termite Baiting System and liquid Termidor® termiticide/insecticide treatment. Both of the options are effective choices for killing off active termites and protecting your home going forward.
Advance® Termite Baiting System
The Advance® Termite Baiting System provides an intelligently designed and high-quality defense against termites. This treatment option is less invasive than the typical liquid treatment options. The first step in the process of having an Advance® Termite Baiting System installed is to get a professional termite inspection. Once the infestation status of the home is determined, baiting stations are placed in the soil around the house. The locations of the baiting stations are determined by current termite activity in an area and the potential for activity in a given area. The Advance® Termite Baiting System stations are then checked regularly for signs of termites. When termites are discovered they are placed into a bait cartridge where they are exposed to termite bait. The pests feed on the bait, return to the colony, and send other termites to the bait stations. This process reduces the size of the colony in the beginning and completely kills it off over time.
Liquid Termidor® termiticide
Liquid Termidor® is an excellent termite treatment option for the people of Cincinnati and anywhere else. It has been named the #1 termite defense in America. Termidor® is undetectable to termites because they cannot see, taste, or smell it. This liquid termiticide is applied along the foundation walls or exterior perimeter of your home. Termidor® binds tightly to the soil and kills termites that come in contact with or ingest it. If a termite comes in contact with Termidor® it becomes a carrier and transfers the termiticide to others in the colony. Since termites do not die immediately upon contact they have time to spread it to others. This makes Termidor® a very effective option for fully eradicating a termite infestation.
There are additional termite treatment options on the market but the two mentioned here have proven to be the best available. Now the question is, ‘Which treatment option is right for my home in Cincinnati?’ The answer to that question depends on a number of factors including the construction of your home, the type of infestation, and your risk for developing more termite issues in the future. You and the termite professional you choose will work together to determine the option that will best address your current infestation and protect your home going forward.
Springtime doesn’t only bring April Showers and May flowers but it also brings out termite swarmers in Cincinnati. Termite swarmers are one of the most visible signs of a termite infestation. Swarmers are flying termites and typically come out in hundreds to thousands. These winged termites emerge in the spring in search of a mate to begin a new colony.
Most termites in a colony are workers termites. They are soft-bodied, creamy-white in color and spend nearly all of their time in the soil looking for a food source. Worker termites don’t have a hard exoskeleton so when exposed to sunlight or air they can dry out easily. This is why these workers create shelter tubes. Swarmers, on the other hand, are designed to leave the soil and strike out in search of mates in the hope of starting a new colony. They are dark in color with four wings of equal size and shape.
When termite colonies swarm indoors, the insects are attracted to light sources, this is why home and business owners may find piles of swarmers on windowsills or around other light sources. Soon after emerging, termite swarmers shed their wings, so it’s not uncommon to see piles of wings on windowsills or countertops.
Nearly all termite swarmers in Cincinnati will die off if they emerge inside of a structure. Just because these termite swarmers die off doesn’t mean there is no longer an infestation. Termite swarming inside indicate an underlying infestation that may not be visible. If you’re seeing swarmers inside your home or business or suspect you may have termites in or around your structure contact us so we can come out and perform an inspection to let you know what’s happening.
Pest Control in the Winter?
With the winter- time cold temperatures that bring snow and ice to the Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky area pest control may be the last thing on your mind. But don’t be fooled by thinking all the pests have frozen and died! You might think winter is a time when nature takes a rest, but things are not always as they seem. In the world of pest control, there is still a lot of work to do. Pests such as Black Widows and other spiders, ants, cockroaches, termites, bedbugs, fleas, rats, mice and the like, may slow down a bit, but they don’t go away. In fact, they continue feeding, growing and multiplying, often in the warmth and comfort of our homes.
Warmer days also get pest moving again, when outside temperatures are on a warming trend, outdoor pests, such as Carpenter Ants, House Ants, Wasps, bees, and occasional invaders like millipedes, and stink bugs, continue their activities. It is a wise practice to maintain your protective barrier guarantee on a quarterly basis. Cutting your pest control service during the winter season as a cost-saving measure gives pests a head start for the spring, and may void warranted services.
7 reasons to continue your pest control service through the winter
Remember, invasive pests want to be indoors during the winter for the same reasons you do! It is important to perform a comprehensive winter pest control treatment to insure that your home is protected year-round.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our knowledgeable office staff at 513.247.0300.
Thank You for your continued patronage,
The friendly staff,
Sure Thing Pest Control
Happy Spring! Springs marks the beginning of baseball season, but also the beginning when we start to see the signs of termites emerging from their wintering over here in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. In the early part of spring, one of the first and most obvious signs of a termite infestation in our region is the emergence of termite swarmers.
It’s very common for home and business owners in Cincinnati to mix up flying ants for termite swarmers unless you know what you’re looking for to distinguish the difference between the two. Continue reading to help inform yourself of the major differences to be looking for if you see a swarm of flying insects inside or outside your home.
When flying ants or termites appear it’s often in a swarm of hundreds to thousands. If it happens at night you’re going to see them flying or congregating around interior or exterior lights on your home or business. If it happens during the day you’re going to see them congregating on the inside of your windows. Both insects are attracted to light so what’s happening is they’re trying to get to the sunlight outside. When swarming happens inside this is a sign that you have a mature ant or termite colony inside your home or business and that they’re being forced out by the colony as it matures.
You may also see a bunch of wings laying around, both ants, and termites lose their wings when they mate. Another indication of termites and not ants is that termite swarmers have white colored wings that are stacked on top of each other. This ends up making the white color bold and appearing as if they only have one set of wings.
When looking at the ant or termite the first thing to look at is the wings. If the wings are about 1/3″ to 1/2″ longer than the body and completely rounded on the ends this means you’re looking at a termite swarmer. Where with ants you’ll notice 2 sets of unequal length wings and wings that are more pointed at the ends.
Next, when you look at the bodies there are three major differences to look for. Ant’s will have the distinct, pinched in waist and look segmented, while termites do not have this pinch and appear to have more of a cigar shaped body.
The second thing to look at is their antennae, ant antennae have an elbow in them and have a stick-like quality. While termite antennae are straight and look like they are made up of many segments.
The last difference is the size, termite swarmers are considerably smaller than carpenter ant swarmers. But since it’s very rare to be finding both insects inside your home or business swarming at the same time it’s good to remember that carpenter ant swarmers are about 13mm to 17mm in length. So if you’re seeing winged insects that are much smaller, you probably have termite swarmers.
Check out our termite page for more information and details about termites.
If you’re finding winged insects inside your home or business and determine them to be termite or ant swarmers, it’s important that you do something about it. While carpenter ants are less of a threat than termites, they can still do quite a bit of damage to your structure. Carpenter ants are also a warning sign that your home is being damaged by water. Carpenter Ants prefer soft or rotted wood to create tunnels and channels to nest in.
Sure Thing Pest Control is your hometown partner in dealing with termites or carpenter ants in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. If you’re ever worried that your home may have an ant or termite infestation feel free to reach out to us. You can trust our educated team to protect your home or business from wood-destroying insects.
