HOW SWARMS LOOKS LIKE ?

DIFFRENTIATE ANTS AND TERMITES SWARMERS

 
I had a swarm of thousands on my patio last night.  Do I have ants or termites ?

It is often difficult to determine the difference between termites and ants.
To tell the difference between a winged reproductive termite and a swarming ant, look at the  antennae, waist size, wing structure and size.

1) Ants  have elbowed antennae with a near 90 degree angle bend while. Termite antennae are almost straight.

2) Ants have supermodel-thin waists while Termites sport a much broader girth.

3) Ant wings have few veins and Termite wings bristle with many small veins.

4) Ant wings do not break off easily. Termite wings break off easily, with just a touch.

5) Termites have four wings that are all equal in length. Ants have four wings, however, two are larger and two are smaller


If you confirm it was termite then you might considered some form of termites extermination or control program to protect your property.

TERMITES LIFE CYCLES



WHAT ARE TERMITE BAITS?

How Termite Baits Work ?

Termite baits consist of paper, cardboard, or other material consume as termite food, combined with a slow-acting lethal chemical to termites, The chemical used for baiting is usually an insect hormone.

When fed to the termites, it disrupts the normal growth and reproduction of the termites. The termites feed on the chemical but do not die immediately and, therefore, can pass the chemical on to other members of the colony as they feed each other. Termite workers also feed the termite queen so, if sufficient of the chemical is fed on by the colony, the chemical also kills her without ever having directly fed on the bait.

After elimination of the termites, monitoring can be carried out with the wooden bait stakes to forewarn of any new infestation. Baiting is an efficient method of termites extermination because it targets the termite nest.

TERMITES BAITING SYSTEM

Alternative way in termites extermination.

There are alternative ways to termites extermination strategies. Baiting systems are the most promising as to replace chemical barrier treatments. With this approach, only small amounts of material known as the toxicant knocks out populations of termites foraging in and around the structure.

Some homeowner may use only baits as a treatment, others may be integrated with liquid or barrier treatments. Using a baiting system with barrier treatments will reduce of amounts of pesticide use to the environment.

No termite control method can guarantee you will never get termites. Termite control may include a combination of one or more of these methods, a baiting system, termiticide treatment, moisture control, foaming, removal of earth wood contact and etc.

Termite baiting is a simple process and can be used as a preventive measure to detect termites where they are not yet a problem. It is also effectively proven in termites extermination.

WHAT OPTION TO THE BEST TERMITES EXTERMINATION?

While helping my mother clean a bedroom today we discovered that the wooden bed and wood parquet had been eaten by what we assumed was termites as we found wings on the floor. What can we treat this with or do we call pest control ?

Termite infestations on anything made of wood is a homeowner's nightmare. It is essential that everyone keeps an eye on their furniture to check the growth of termites and kill them before they destroy your furniture. The termites eat away at the structure as well as any wooden furniture and can do major damage if you do not exterminate them right away. You can call in an exterminator, but the cost is high, especially if they have to keep coming back.

When a termite infestation is present, you have two choices:

1) rely on the services of a qualified and experienced termite control operator.

Termite extermination can be fairly expensive, the cost is usually justified by the special equipment such as concrete drills and pressure applicators, technical knowledge and experience, and large volumes of chemicals and time required to properly apply the treatment. Special attention should be given to termite-proofing chemicals and structures built into buildings on “floating” concrete slabs. If the slab cracks, even as little as 1/32 of an inch, the termites are afforded a well- protected, hidden, and direct route to and from their food source

2) attempt to control them yourself. The first choice, in most cases, is recommended.

Do-it-yourself termite control is seldom satisfactorily achieved. There are DIY Termites Treatment kits available in the market for dry wood termite infestations. There are too many obstacles to getting a good and effective treatment for the homeowner. You are taking a real risk with you house if you try to do this yourself. My rule is that it's OK to treat termites outside your house in areas like sheds, fence posts and wood piles, but once they come inside...call a professional termite exterminator. It's definitely worth having a professional termite exterminator look at the problem

TERMITES EXTERMINATION :THE GREEN WAY

Green way to terminate termites

By studying termites' immune systems scientists have found a sweet solution to getting rid of the pests, but in a green way.


Writing in this week's PNAS, Northeastern University researcher Mark Bulmer and his colleagues have discovered a natural way to suppress the immune systems of termites making them vulnerable to overwhelming fungal infections. The team began by studying how the insects normally keep themselves infection-free.

This is achieved using a family of substances called GNBPs - gram negative bacteria binding proteins - which lock onto chemical structures on the surfaces of pathogens and neutralise them. They are particularly effective against a fungus called Metarhizium anisopliae, which is killed when one of the GNBPs - GNBP-2 - breaks down essential molecules called glucans in its cell walls. But by modelling the structure of GNBP-2, and how it locks onto the fungal cell wall structures, the team were able to pick out a naturally-occurring and generally non-toxic sugary substance - D-gluconolactone - that would bind tightly to and block the GNBP-2.

Giving this substance to termites effectively rendered them chemically blind to the fungus, which attacked and killed them.

'This [gluconolactone],' say the researchers, 'is an alternative to toxic pesticides given that is it natural, non-toxic and biodegradable.' The team also point out that since other species of insects share GNBP-2 with termites it might also work further afield against other crop pests.

'Because D-gluconolactone is a product of a biosynthetic pathway, plants could conceivably be engineered to produce it in high amounts and in specific compartments, which would bolster their immunity to pest attacks

References


- Mark S. Bulmer, Ido Bachelet, Rahul Raman, Rebeca B. Rosengaus, and Ram Sasisekharan; Targeting an antimicrobial effector function in insect immunity as a pest control strategy; PNAS; published online before print June 8, 2009, doi:10.1073/pnas.0904063106

HOW TO CHOOSE QUALIFIED TERMITES EXTERMINATION SERVICES?

No structural pest causes more confusion than termites. Most homeowners have little knowledge of these troublesome insects, and what it takes to get rid of them. Our understanding of termites has progressed considerably in recent years.


Termites may even begin attacking soon after construction. Properly treating the soil beneath and around the foundation with termiticidal chemicals before construction, called a pretreatment, reduces the threat of subterranean termites.

If you suspect you have a termite infestation, the following steps will help you select a termite control service:



1. Seek recommendations from others in your social network such as friends, relatives, and coworkers who know of at least a few local termite extermination services. They may have personal experience with the services recommended, so you can ask questions regarding the general performance of each service.



2. Make use of other local resources to collect data on termite extermination services that operate within the area. Consult the local business directory. Pest control companies that are established and have built a strong reputation within the community often hold membership in the local chamber. In addition, the information available from the chamber of commerce will probably include a contact name, telephone number, and possibly an email address. Seek at least 3 different proposals.



3. With a list of potential termite extermination services assembled, your next task is to begin qualifying each service on your list. One important consideration is to make sure any exterminator that visits your property is properly certified. Insect control services are usually forthcoming about the status of their certification and do not mind providing proof. Should any service balk at supplying this type of information, cross it off your list and keep looking.



4. Verify that the termite extermination services you select is a member of your state pest control association and the National Pest Control Association. Membership in the National, and state or local pest control associations is a good indicator that the company has access to modern technical information . In the area of termite control, their commitment to further education is important, particularly with the newer baits and baiting techniques on the market.



5. Determine if the extermination company has a license. In a lot of states, companies such as this nature ought to be licensed to continue operating their company. If the termite control company doesn’t have one, then ask them to produce one or if not, search for a company which already has one.

6. Establish whether the extermination company has insurance. It ought to carry a general liability policy of at least 1 million dollars which is the standard for any industry as well as any legitimate company. This is important incase anything goes wrong for any reason related to the company you’re going to work with.



7. Inquire about their standard procedures for getting rid of those unwanted termites. This should cover the length, the kind of terminating procedures, especially the safety of the procedures they will be employing. You need to ask a lot regarding their procedures to ensure the safety of your family, workers, kids, plants as well as animals if you have one.



8. Hire a termite extermination service which offers some sort of service guarantee. If the company you’d be hiring is good and very well skilled, then they ought to grant warranty with their work and offer a money back guarantee if there procedures turn out to be ineffective.



Weighing all the factors will result in the selection of a termite extermination service that charges an equitable fee and also does an excellent job. These points are some ideas you may follow to look for the best termite control company in your local.

5 MOST COMMON SIGN OF TERMITES INFESTATION

Termites can cause significant damage to homes, wood structures or furniture. While there are many signs of termites that can be found in your home, sometime they can be very difficult to spot. This is because termites are cryptic creatures and infestations can go undetected for years. Here are the most common signs of termites that homeowners should look for. Should you see any of these signs, you should contact a professional termites exterminator immediately.
These are the common sign of termites present in your home that you should look for.


1. Termites Swarms

Termite swarm is a large group of termites that exits the ground and flies away all at once. Termite swarms occur when winged adults look for new colonies.They tend to be attracted to light. If they emerge at night, they might swarm around some of your lights. You can also find them in spider webs around light sources Typically, termites swarm in the daytime right after rains. The swarm lasts just a few minutes, though, so you might only see the wings they leave behind. Swarms are often one of the first signs of termites.

2. Mud Tubes

Termites travel through these mud tubes on their way from the soil to a food source. These are small, enclosed tubes that are made of mud or clay and are one of the most obvious signs of termites. . Look for these tubes on basement walls, wooden posts and door and window trim . Mud tubes are easy to identify when located on the exterior of the building, but are often located inside of a crawl space where they go undetected until severe damage occurs. Follow the tunnel all the way up, and you'll see that it terminates into a floor joist or a structural beam. When you reach that piece of lumber or wood, try tapping it with a screwdriver. If it makes a hollow sound, try inserting the screwdriver; if it goes in easily, termites have hollowed out the softer inside of the wood.

3. Wood damage

Termites eat wood from the inside out, so damaged wood is may hard to find. Break open hollow-sounding wall studs, baseboards and floors. Inside the wood, a honeycombed pattern is typical, as termites feed along the grain on the softer spring growth. Their excavations often are packed with soil. Worst-case scenario: bulging walls. Above-ground carton nests of Formosan termites — an especially robust species — can cause this alarming sight. Examination of this wood reveals that it is full of holes, which indicates termite problems. This is one of the solid signs of termites and should be taken care of immediately.


4.Wall Noises

Keep your ears open. Termites sometimes make noises within the inside of the building walls, although this is not always one of the signs of termites. The sound of termites with walls is often described as a crackling or popping noise (Tick-Tick-Tick). This noise only occurs when termites are disturbed by loud noises or smells and is a warning indicator to other termites. If the sound is ongoing, it is probably another wood boring insect and not a termite. To be doubly sure the sound is made by termites, make a small hole at the infested area. If live termites come out of their hiding place, the spot is considered active with termite infestation.

5. Live termites

Life termites are soft and are easily desiccated, light-colored and can range from 1/16 to 1/2 inch in length. They move away quickly when exposed to light.

What do you do if one or more of these signs are found? Do NOT spray with aerosol or any liquid. Do NOT vacuum the mud traces. Do NOT wipe or clean off the mud traces. Seal the hole or crack with cellophane tape.
If you are still not too sure whether the indications that you have observed are signs of termite infestation, you can get a professional termites exterminator who has seen them all — and more — a hundred times before