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What You Need To Know About Ground Termites In Hawaii
10/31/13
Ground termites are an important part of the ecological system. When in nature, they will work to break down dead and decaying plant life which helps to speed up decomposition time. The problem with ground termites begins when they make their way into Honolulu homes. Ground termites often accidentally enter into homes by making their way through cracks and crevices in home foundations and siding as the workers are out searching for food. Once inside they will go behind your walls, ceilings and underneath your floor boards to start creating tunnels and feeding on your home's’ structural wood causing it to become weakened and need costly repairs. Because a termite’s work is hidden from view, they can sometimes be in homes for many months before they or their damage are noticed. With termites, the best way to protect your home is through prevention methods unless a termite infestation is currently present in your home. In this case, the best way to completely eradicate the infestation and stop the damage to your home is with the help of Honolulu exterminators that have experience with ground termites.
Knowing whether or not a termite infestation is present in your home can be a tricky task. The best way to know for certain is to contact a Honolulu exterminator and have an inspection completed in your home. Termites in Honolulu will however leave some signs behind of their presence, knowing what these signs are will allow you to get the help you need as quickly as possible. Signs of ground termites on your Honolulu property or home include:
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Mud tubes- Ground termites build their nests underground and will travel back and forth from the nest to their food source in mud tubes that are found just underneath the ground. These termites are about the width of a pencil and if termites are on your property you will see them running towards your home.
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Weak wood surfaces- Subterranean termites create tunnels throughout the wood that they are invading which results in the wood appearing weakened and splintered. Paints may also start to bubble and peel. If you tap on the wood and it sounds hollow, you may have termites.
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Warped wood- For long standing termite infestations, your doorways, ceilings, and floors may start to appear warped.
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Mud- Ground termites will try to fix any holes that they have created in the surface of wood with a mixture of mud and salvia.
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Termite swarms- The winged reproductive members of the colony swarm once or twice a year in large numbers, usually in the spring or summer. Once the swarm has ended, you can see discarded wings as a sign that a swarm took place.
One of the best ways to treat for and prevent termites is with termite baiting using the Sentricon® Colony Termite Elimination System. The Sentricon® system provides environmentally friendly termite control for homeowners in Honolulu, Hawaii and all across the country. The system requires no drilling or trenching on your property; it involves discrete bait stations around the property. The termites are attracted to the bait which they will ingest and bring back to the rest of the colony, eliminating all members of the colony. After the current infestation is taken care of, the bait stations will continue to work at protecting your home from a termite infestation.
It conjunction with getting help from a professional pest control company, there are things that you can do as a homeowner to make your home and property less conducive to a termite infestation. Termite prevention tips include:
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Removing dead trees, stumps and other piles of organic debris from your property.
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Termites are drawn to moisture so remove or replace any wood in your home that has had water damage.
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Use and direct rainspouts away from your home so that moisture doesn’t collect around your foundation.
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Replace mulch in your garden each year; old mulch will start to decay and attract termites.
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Trim back trees and bushes so that their branches do not touch the side of the home, allowing termites an easy way into your home.
While termites can be a difficult pest to eliminate and prevent, it is possible with the help of your local pest professionals. Contact Sandwich Isle Pest Solutions today to get more information about termite control in Honolulu!