Termite Identification

Termites bear a certain similarity to the ant. Because of this, it can be confusing to tell them apart. As a homeowner owning a house or a farmer growing crops, it is the responsible thing to do to be able to tell which pest is a termite and which is a flying ant. If you see a pest, use the following advice to do a termite vs. flying ant identification test.

1. The easiest way to tell the difference between the two is to inspect the body parts of the insect, which can be done without the use of a microscope or field glass in most cases. Termites have two visible body parts: a head and a body. All ants have three distinct body parts: head, abdomen and thorax. In other words, the ant’s body is separated into two body parts.

2. Ants are usually found indoors, outdoors, on plants, in our lawns and in flower or vegetable garden. If you find winged insects in or around your home and want to make sure that they are not termites, pull back their wings and look closely at the body parts. If the bug you inspect looks like an ant, it is usually an ant. If it does not have three visible body parts but does have a head and a long body, it is probably a termite.

3. Another identifying characteristic that separates winged ants from winged termites is the antennae. All ants have antennae that have a fairly severe bend or “elbow” but termite antennae to not have this sharp bend. A termite’s antennae are beaded; an ant’s antennae have segments that sometimes end in small club.The different sections of an ant’s antennae are often important to those involved in inspection and treatment of homes and lawns for ant infestations. The number of sections, size of club, and even absence of a club are all important factors in the identification of the invading ant or termite pest.

4. The termite swarmer has four wings, as does the swarming ant. The difference lies in the length of the wings. When the wings of either flying insect are folded (in a resting position or when found dead) and appear to be two wings of the same or equal length. Closer inspection reveals the true evidence. When you gently spread out the wings you will find that there are now four wings, instead of two.

5. An ant swarmer and a termite swarmer both have 2 pairs or 2 sets of wings. The wings of a swarming termite are all the same length. The wings of a swarming ant are different. The front wings (those that are visible when the wings are not spread) are longer than the rear wings. When at rest, the front wings are folded over so that the rear set of wings are not visible.

6. One thing you need to remember when doing a termite vs. flying ant identification test is that the purpose of a winged termite is not to eat wood but to propagate the species. They cannot hurt you, but what they can do is lay eggs inside your home that will grow into a colony of its own and cause complete devastation to the structure itself. Sometimes that destruction is so severe that it requires rebuilding, and, in rare cases, razing of the structure itself.

Whether you are a homeowner or a farmer, having an understanding of the common termite is essential. This is because a common termite can cause unbelievable damage to both structures made of wood as well as leaves, fruits, vegetables.

The better you understand termites, the more effectively you’re able to get rid of them and minimize or prevent the damage they can do.

Here are some facts you should know for better termite understanding:

1. Termites live in colonies much like ants.

2. These colonies are ruled by queens and they have a specific hierarchy of jobs that each termite does.

3. The queen termite is the head of the colony and lets all of the other termites what they need to do to keep their society functioning.

4. After the termite king and queen, in the termite colony, you will have workers. These termites are responsible for foraging for food, bringing it back to where the nest is, and storing the food so that the rest of the colony members can use it for nourishment later.

5. The termite colony also has soldiers who are responsible for defending the colony against predators.

In tropical savannas and in arid regions, termites build large and elaborate mounds for the colony. What do termite mounds look like? A termite mound can reach from two up to four feet tall. Termite mounds are very distinctive in forms. These mounds are usually tall, wedge-shaped and have long axis orienting from the North to the South

Termites build their mounds on the North-to-South orientation for specific reasons. This axis aids in thermoregulation or in maintaining a specific temperature inside the mound which allows the termites to regulate the temperature in their bodies. What helps in the air circulation current inside the mound are the columns of hot air rising above the ground.

When asking the question what do termite mounds look like, you must remember that not all species of termites build termite mounds. Those that do live in dry, arid conditions such as in Australia and in Africa.

Termite mounds have uses other than housing termite colonies as well. An ancient african medical practice called siddha makes use some termite mound properties or materials to prepare their medicine. Four specific properties are found within these termites mound that are known to contribute to the medicine’s homeopathic ability in healing.

When your home is plagued with termites, a termite treatment may be necessary. But before you can determine if you need a termite treatment, you need to undergo a few steps first. These include

1. Checking for yourself for the areas where termite colonies be possibly hiding. Termite colonies strive on wooden area or structures of the house, especially those that are moist and close to the ground or soil.

2. Some of the major tell-tale signs of the presence of termites in your home are discarded swarmer termite wings, termite tubes and tunnels and tiny wood dusts.

3. Call in professional help. Hire a reputable termite inspection company to assess the severity of your home’s termite condition. In most cases, these inspectors will also recommend the type of treatment that you will need depending on the termite condition.

The most common form of termite treatment includes the following:

1. The use of pesticide sprays.
2. The use of termite tenting treatment
3. Fumigating the home.

Even if your home is built on slab, it is still very likely for you to get termite infestation. Termite treatment for slab home is generally done during its construction phase.

What Termite Treatment Slab Involves

Termite treatment slab involves holes being drilled into the slab itself. A pesticide is then injected into the holes so that once the house is constructed, theres little chance that termites can get in and damage your home.

In cases of post-construction termite treatment for a slab home a trench is formed around the outside of a slab after it has been poured. However, this alone usually will not be as effective as pre-construction termite treatment slab; the termite colony may be entering the structure from the soil under the slab. This is because the slab can crack or shrink away from the foundation wall allowing termites to infest the wood above. Furthermore, concrete slabs usually have many other points of entry for termite colonies such as the bath traps, plumping outlets, etc.

Termite treatment for slab construction is a highly technical method that entails much time and labor. It requires precise drilling to close up and block all termite entry points. Slabs must be drilled vertically along all cracks and construction joints at 12-inch intervals and no more than 6 inches from the foundation. Furthermore, the soil beneath the slab must be treated from the bottom of the slab to the top of the footing. This is termites lay their eggs in the soil. Once the eggs are hatched, they live in the soil and burrow underneath your structure until they are ready to feed and make their way to the top and into the wood. This method of drilling and treating is also used for dirt-filled porches and stress cracks sometimes found in slabs.

One of the best way to avoid termite inspection fraud is to know for yourself how termite damage look like.

1. If your home is infested with termites, there will be presence of mud tubes. This is where termite lives. Most likely these tubes are located very near the structure of your home, specifically on areas where the wood structure touches the soil.

2. If your home is infested with termites, there will be small holes in the wood structure. Termites eat through the wood, eventually allowing them more access inside your home. Once termites have gotten through the wood, they proceed by burrowing tunnels through the wood so if you were to cut the wooden structure in cross-section, you’d see a network of tunnels. Long tunnels indicate that the infestation has been going on for some time. Short tunnels indicate that the termites have just started to dig its way into the structure.

3. If your home is infested with termites, the wood in your home where termites are eating through would create a hollow sound when tapped or knocked. If you open up the wood, you’d find the tunnels, discarded wings of swarmer termites as well as waste pellets.

Another way to reinforce your knowledge on what termite damage look like is to look for termite damage pictures online.

Here are some practical things that homeowners can do to decrease the chances of termite infestation in their homes.

* Repair immediately any structural and plumbing leaks. Termites thrive on damp soil and will find every opportunity to get into your home through structural cracks and leaks.
* Mulch and landscaping should be pulled back at least 6 inches from the foundation of your home. Mulch from cypress and maleleuca wood are found to be termite repellant.
* Remove piles of trash and debris from around the home.
* Keep firewood stacked away from the structure. Wood only encourages more termites and the closer these firewoods are to the structure of your home, the higher the chances of these termites getting in through cracks.
* Make sure downspouts are long enough to direct water away from the foundation. The less damp the soil around your foundation is, the lesser the chances of termites thriving near your structure.
* Keep gutters clean.
* Avoid direct wood to ground contact when building porches or decks.

As the term suggests, termite inspection exterior is the ocular inspection on outside areas for termites. It requires some knowledge of where termites are most likely to enter the home and where termites may possibly thrive.

Termite inspection exterior are usually done by professional termite inspectors. However, to avoid being lured into termite inspection frauds, you as the homeowner must know a little about how termites manifests their presence in your home.

The Importance of Termite Inspection Exterior

Every home needs to be inspected for termites. The sooner a house is treated for termites, the better. Termite infestation treatment starts with termite inspection. Depending on the results of the inspection, the homeowners can then decide whether there is a need for a termite control program.

Where To Start Termite Inspection Exterior

When scanning a particular home for termite infestation, start around the foundation of the house and pay close attention to any wooden part structure of your home that directly touches the ground or soil outside. These is usually where termites start to eat up the wood and enter your home.

If your home does not have any wooden part structure close to the ground, check the concrete walls or bricks near the soil for any cracks. Though termites don’t eat brick and concrete, it is very likely for them to enter through cracks in the wall, and into the wooden parts of your home.

People are becoming more and more aware of the need for termite inspection in their homes. Alarmingly though, along with this demand, termite inspection fraud cases have increased over the past couple of years as some studies have shown. As a client, know the possible modus operandi used in termite inspection frauds.

1. One common fraud is when the so-called “inspector” shows you with “evidences” of termite infestations like shed wings from swarmers and waste pellets. This act is to convince you that there are, indeed, termites in your home. Most likely, this “inspector” will offer you with termite control services.

As much as possible and if the location of the termite colony allows it, check out for yourself if there is indeed termites in the alleged “area”.

2. Another ruse used in termite inspection fraud is to show the clueless homeowner of the alleged “termite damage” done when in truth, it may is caused by some other factor.

The best thing to do here is to know a little about how a termite damage looks like.

To avoid termite inspection frauds, always go for a second opinion. Otherwise, you’ll be paying for termite control services that you never really needed in the first place.

If your doctor diagnoses you with a severe illness, you’d probably want to seek second opinion from another doctor. The same is true with termite inspection second opinion. And because termite inspection fraud is rampant nowadays, it even makes a second opinion doubly important.

Choosing Your Inspector

Before you hire an inspector, make calls and asks for the rates and cost estimates first. Only then will you be able to go for the right inspector which, by the way should be chosen not only in consideration of his fees but also with his years of experience and training on the termite inspection.

Getting The Verdict

It is a given that as a homeowner, you should know a little about evidences of termite infestation in your home. This is to avoid being pulled into a termite inspection fraud and to avoid paying for termite services that you don’t need. If you don’t know anything about termites, you can start reading up articles on how a termite looks like and the how termite damages look like can be found within this website.

If your termite inspector advises you to go for certain termite control programs, don’t jump in right away. Instead, call another termite inspection service from the original list you’ve come up with and go for second opinion. By doing so, you’ll be able to gauge how each inspector has thoroughly and accurately done the termite inspection.