Termites are one of the worst pests you can get in your home. Not only are they destructive, but they’re so sneaky they can fly under your radar for months or even years. You might not notice you have a termite problem until these pesky pests have done significant and costly damage.
What’s even worse is that it’s not just the repairs to your home that will cost you. Termite removal can also cost a pretty penny. That’s why keeping the termites out of your house is the best thing you can do to save yourself both hassle and money.
Unfortunately, Crestview, Florida provides the perfect climate that allows termites to stay active for most of the year. If you haven’t already taken steps to protect your property, your home could be at risk at any time.
How To Identify Termites In Crestview
Termites can be tough to identify because of their homebody lifestyle. Unless they’re swarming, termites remain pretty close to the nest. They live either in or directly beneath their food source, so they don’t typically have to forage. That means outside of the breeding season, signs of termites can be pretty subtle – at least until they start swarming or doing significant property damage.
The thing about termites is that they’re not the only wood-destroying pest out there. You have carpenter ants, wood-boring beetles, and there are even bees that drill holes in wood. Bees and beetles don’t do the level of structural damage that termites do, but carpenter ants can give them a run for their money.
So how can you tell the difference? One of the best ways to tell is to look for the actual insects. If you’re noticing wood damage but not seeing any of the bugs causing it, it’s more likely you have termites. If you’re seeing a lot of big black ants crawling around your home, those are carpenter ants. To be sure, you may need an expert opinion.
What Do Termites Eat In Crestview?
The pest termites we deal with here in Crestview eat wood. This is why they’re so destructive and why many of the signs of termites have to do with the damage they cause. In the wild, termites eating wood is a vital part of the decay process because their droppings put vital nutrients back into the soil. However, your home’s foundation definitely doesn’t need any nutrients put in it from its own wooden structural framing, so termite control is a must.
How Do You Know If You Have Termites In Crestview?
As we said above, termite signs can be subtle at first, but once an infestation gets going, you will absolutely notice it. If you think you might have a termite problem, look for signs like:
- Piles of shed wings on the floor or in window sills
- Rustling sounds inside walls
- Sawdust and termite droppings (also called carton and frass)
- Damage including buckled floors, warped or sagging walls, and ceilings-windows or doors that don’t fit
- Active termite swarms
Swarms are a major sign of termite issues. Mature termite colonies send out reproductive adults called alates. It’s the alates’ job to pair off and go establish new nests. However, alates don’t fly very far before performing their mating rituals, and they shed their wings and begin nesting almost as soon as they pair off. That means active termite swarms are an indication that you already have an established colony on your property – and you’re also about to have many more.
How Should Crestview Homeowners Check For Termites?
If you identify signs of termites, it’s crucial to contact professional help as soon as possible. Termites are not a problem home and business owners should deal with by themselves. The more time you wait or waste on inferior solutions, the more damage termites are doing. For superior termite control, contact us here at Bill Clark Pest Control. Our thorough inspections will locate every termite in your home, and our termite removal services can help you rest assured that you’ll never see them again.
