Ants dancing for joy they found your home. Now it their home.

What are Termites?   Based On Ecological Considerations, Three Types of Termites Occur in the United States.   (1) Drywood (2) Dampwood (3) Subterranean

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Drywood Termites build their nest in sound dry wood above ground.
Dampwood Species initially locate their nest in moist, decaying wood but can later extend  tunnels
into dryer parts of the wood.
Subterranean termites are more dependent on an external moister source, and they typically dwell in the soil and work through it to reach wood above ground.

Subterranean Termites are the most destructive and economically important insect pests of wood and other cellulose products. They attack wood throughout most of the United States with the exception of Alaska. They are the most common, and hence cause the most destruction, in the warmer regions.

The Soil provides several advantages that make it suitable as a dwelling for subterranean termites. it serves as a source of moister that protects termites from drying out, shield termites from predators, and is used as building material for construction of shelter tubes above ground. Termites can excavate passageways through the soil to reach a food source. If moister is available from a source other than soil, subterranean termites may not require connection to the soil. Thus, isolated, above ground infestations may occur in homes where where subterranean termites have access to water from condensation, leaking pipes, roofs, or other sources.
 

WORKERS

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Workers are wingless, soft bodied insects that are gray or yellow-white. They are found in the greatest numbers in a subterranean termite colony and are the ones usually seen when a piece of infested wood is examined. The duties of these sterile insects are to care for eggs and young, feed and clean other termites, forage for food and construct and repair shelter tubes and other workings. This is the termite that actually eats the wood.

SOLDIERS

t	Soldiers have larger, brownish heads and longer mandibles than the workers. They guard the colony and defend against predators. Due to the Oversized mandibles the soldiers can not feed themselves. They rely on the workers to feed them.

REPRODUCTIVES

0	Reproductives, or Sexual adults, have black or yellow-brown bodies.They have two pairs of long, whiteish, translucent wings of equal size at the time they disperse from the colony, but they shed their wings soon after flight.

  Termite Facts
 

Typical signs of termite infestations include swarming of winged adults in the spring (March, April, May, and June) and occasionally autumn (September and October). A "swarm" is a group of adult male and female reproductives that leave their nest to establish a new colony. Swarming occurs when a colony reaches a certain size. Emergence is stimulated when temperature and moisture conditions are favorable, usually on warm days following rainfall. Other signs of termite presence include "pencil-size" mud tubes constructed over the surface of foundation walls, mud protruding from cracks between boards and beams, and hollow sounds from infested wood when it is tapped, or extreme softness when probed with a knife. Termites feed slowly and there is no need to panic. A few weeks or months may be needed to determine whether the infestation is a do-it-yourself treatment or one that is complex, requiring a commercial, licensed pest control firm. Consider getting two to three estimates, and be cautious of price quotes that are substantially lower or higher than the others.
 

Identification

Subterranean termites are social insects that live in nests or colonies in the soil. Each colony consists of three forms or castes of individuals, which are the reproductives, workers, and soldiers. Reproductives can be winged (primary) or wingless (secondary). The latter are found in mature colonies and serve as replacements if something happens to the primary reproductives. Winged, primary reproductives (alates) are coal black to pale yellow-brown, flattened and about 1/4 to 3/8 inch long, with pale or smoke-gray to brown wings. Secondary reproductives are white to cream-colored with short wing buds. Workers are wingless, white to grayish-white with a round, yellow-brown head and about 1/4 to 3/8 inch long. Soldiers are also wingless and resemble workers except that they have large, rectangular, yellowish and brown heads with large mandibles (jaws).

Swarmers have straight, bead-like antennae, a thick waist, and a pair of long, equal-length wings, that break off easily. The presence of winged termites, or their shedded wings, inside a home should be a warning of a termite infestation. They can be differentiated from adult winged ants that have elbowed antennae, constricted waists, forewings are larger than the rear wings (unequal size), and not easily detached.
 

People Often Mistake flying Ants as Termites. This image Should Make it Fairly easy to distinguish the differences between these Pest. If you Suspect you have Termites Don't waste anytime. Have a professional conduct an inspection before its to late.

Life Cycle and Habits

In a typical termite colony, the king and queen are the only active reproductives; they perform no other function. They are fed by the other termites, and some have lived up to 25 years.

A mature queen can lay thousands of eggs each year. During the two-week incubation period, eggs are tended by the worker termites. The nymph hatches directly from the egg. Attendants feed nymphs regurgitated food for the first two weeks, enabling them through molting to become workers, soldiers, reproductives, or supplementary reproductives. As the reproductive nymph matures, its body lengthens and sexual organs develop. The body turns black, eyes become functional, and wings extend twice its body length.

The worker nymph has no eyes and is sterile. Its main function is to provide the colony with food, usually obtained by eating the under structure of buildings. The soldier nymph develops a long, armored head and large jaws during its last molt. The sole purpose of the soldier is to defend the colony against enemies such as ants. All mature reproductives leave the colony at the same time, usually in the spring and sometimes in the fall. Swarmers are poor fliers and, when above ground, usually flutter a few yards and fall. Swarmers, emerging outdoors from tree stumps, railroad ties, etc., are usually not of concern and are in no way an indication that the structure is infested. After dropping to the ground, they shed their wings. Surviving males find compatible mates and then burrow into the ground to become king and queen. These termites live in nests underground and tunnel up for food, which includes the wood under structure of homes.

A very small percentage of swarming termites survive to initiate new colonies. Many are eaten by other insects, birds, etc. Likewise, swarms emerging inside a structure usually never survive. However, it is an indication of infestation. Entomologists at the University of Tennessee feel colonies of ants or termites issue swarms four to six years after being established. Others feel swarming can occur in only two to three years.

Workers need a high humidity to survive and will carry mud up into the wood where feeding to maintain a 97 percent relative humidity. Termites have the ability to move their colony up and down in the soil to find the optimal temperature and moisture conditions.

Workers build mud tubes from the soil to the wood in structures on which they feed. Termites can feed on wood since they have protozoans in their alimentary tract (gut) that digests cellulose, the basic component of wood. Workers prefer to feed on fungus infested wood, but can feed equally well on undamaged wood. Workers secrete food material from their mouths and anuses to feed the reproductives and soldiers.
 

Control Measures

In most cases, once a termite infestation has been found, control measures are best accomplished by a professional pest control firm rather than a do-it-yourself treatment. (Homeowners seldom have the experience, availability of pesticides and equipment needed to perform the job effectively.) Deal only with a licensed, certified pest control firm having an established place of business and a good professional reputation. Ideally the firm will belong to a city, state or national pest control association. Get at least three competitive estimates before signing a contract for control measures.

Prices for inspection, treatment estimates and conditions of warranties often vary considerably. (A guarantee is no better than the firm who presents it.) There is no need to be rushed into a termite control program. Delaying a few weeks or months makes little difference since termites feed slowly. It is more important to take your time to select a "reputable" pest control firm rather than to select a firm that can come over immediately or tomorrow.
 

Prevention

Avoid moisture accumulation near the foundation. Divert water away with properly functioning down spouts, gutters and splash blocks. Ground near the foundation needs to be sloped or graded in order for surface water to drain away from the building. Poor draining may need tiles or drains installed. Termites and ants are attracted to moisture.

Reduce humidity in crawl spaces with proper ventilation. Crawl spaces should have ventilation openings in the foundation at the rate of two square feet per 25 linear feet of foundation wall. One vent needs to be within five feet of each exterior corner of the building. Prevent shrubs, vines and other vegetation from growing over and covering the vents. It is important to have maximum cross ventilation. Install polyethylene sheeting over 75 to 85 percent of the soil surface in crawl spaces to reduce excess moisture.

Before and during construction, never bury wood scraps or waste lumber in the backfield, especially near the building. Be sure to remove old form boards, grade stakes, etc. left in place after the building was constructed. Remove old tree stumps and roots around and beneath the building. Never stack or store firewood lumber or other wood products against the foundation or within the crawl space. Prevent trellises, vines, etc. from touching the house. (Prevent any potential hidden paths of termite entry into the structure which could bypass any termiticide soil barrier already in place.)

Use termite metal shields on interior walls extending two inches out and two inches down at a 45 degree angle from the wall. This non corrosive metal should have no cracks and be at least 12 inches above the ground. The concrete foundation should be reinforced to prevent cracking. Use concrete or steel supports, steps, etc. when in contact with soil.

Borates (disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) and/or wolmanized pressure-treated wood (chromated copper arsenate) protects against termites and wood decay fungi. However, even railroad ties, telephone poles and pressure treated wood, over time, can be subject to termite attack. Mud tubes can be built over the surface or entry gained through cut and cracked ends.

Most importantly, eliminate any wood contact with the soil. An 18 inch gap between the soil and wooden portions of the building is ideal. However, at least try to maintain six to eight inches between ground level and porch steps, lattice work, door or window frames, etc. Pull or grade soil back away from the foundation. Wood posts and stairs embedded in concrete can also be paths of entry by termites.

Wood mulch can attract termites, especially when damp and moist. When mulch is used, avoid contact against the wood siding or frames of doors and windows. Pea gravel or crushed stone are much less attractive to termites, ants, pillbugs, millipedes, earwigs, crickets, etc.
 

Insecticides

In nationwide field tests, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Gulfport, Mississippi evaluates termiticide soil treatments. In general, termiticides tested under concrete slabs were 100 percent effective for five or more years when applied at the highest rate, but often were less effective when applied at lower rates (Source: Pest Management Magazine, pages 14, 15 & 16 - Feb. 1994, Vol. 13, No. 2). Termiticides tested included bifenthrin (Biflex), cypermethrin (Demon TC), permethrin (Dragnet FT), chlorpyrifos (Dursban TC), chlorpyrifos (Equity), cypermethrin (Prevail), chlorpyrifos (Tenure), permethrin (Prelude) and fenvalerate (Tribute). Termiticides under concrete slabs remained more effective against subterranean termites for longer periods than when exposed to weather conditions in ground board tests.

To achieve termite control for long periods of time, termiticides must be applied as a continuous barrier in the soil at rates required by their labels. The goal of a termite treatment is to place within the soil and adjacent to the foundation, an uninterrupted chemical barrier that will prevent termite travel from the nest in the soil to the wood in the house. Anything less, in time, can permit reinfestation by termites traveling through untreated gaps.

In reference to "spot treatments only" in areas of the house where termites are seen, most pest control firms will neither treat nor guarantee such a treatment. The reason is of the high probability of termites eventually finding other untreated points of entry into the structure. Localized spot treatments are considered a gamble except in re-treatment situations. A guarantee or annually, renewable contract is normally purchased for at least the first three to five years after the initial treatment. Guarantees often vary from firm to firm. Understand what is required by the homeowner to keep the guarantee in force (a guarantee is no better than the firm who presents it).

Treating according to formulation label mixing directions using Dursban Ortho-Klor 12.6 percent would cost the Do-It-Yourself Treatment about 2-1/2 times more money for chemical costs than the licensed pest control operator using Dursban TC 42.8 percent. Treating foundation voids, under slabs, in hollow openings of concrete blocks in foundation walls and drilling would require still more chemical and higher costs. So, when evaluating very low pest control operator (PCO) bid prices, always ask yourself, "How can someone treat my home for less that the cost of the chemical themselves?", "will the strength of the application be less than according to label directions?", and, "are corners being cut by using less solution than required to best kill all the termites?"

In addition to the chemical costs there are several other expenses reflected in the PCO bid. Among these are the purchase and maintenance of the PCO's business establishment, equipment, training, labor and liability insurance premiums.

Effective termite control usually requires specialized equipment and often 200 or more gallons of prepared termiticide solution per house, depending on size, basement, etc.

Some termiticide formulations have more odor than others. The odor is generally due to solvents in the formulation rather than the insecticide active ingredient. Odor can be reduced and eliminated by ventilating with fans during and after treatment. If the odor is of concern to the homeowner, odorless termiticides and termiticides with special, low odor formulations are alternatives.

Termite soil treatment is normally a job for the professional, licensed, certified pest control operator. However, for wood treatment, homeowners may apply borates (Bora-Care, Shell-Guard, Guardian) or bendiocarb (Ficam D) one percent dust to voids or channels in damaged structure members. For soil treatment, only chlorpyrifos (Dursban) Ortho-Klor, available at garden centers, may be used by homeowners. Sometimes, homeowners can "do-it-yourself" when treating sandboxes, fence posts and other wood objects not attached and away from the house.

Other products labeled for termite control include imidacloprid (Premise 75), cyfluthrin (Tempo), permethrin (Flee), tralomethrin (Saga), boric acid (Borid), borates (Bora-Care, Tim-Bor) and bendiocarb + pyrethrins (Ficam Plus). Also, deltamethrin (Delta Gard TC, Suspend) is expected to be labeled for termites.

Some alternate termite controls include:

1. Nematodes

Certain species of parasitic round worms (nematodes) will infest and kill termites and other soil insects. They have been promoted and marketed by a few companies since the early 1980s. Soil moisture and soil type appear to limit the nematode's ability to move in the soil and locate termites. Although effective in the laboratory, under field conditions control is often quite variable.

2. Sand as a physical barrier

It has been suggested that a layer of sand with uniform size particles could stop termite movement through the soil. This would have to be a pre construction practice for slab construction. Sand would work as a physical barrier since termites would be unable to manipulate the sand to create tunnels. Sand of correct particle size, applied alongside building foundations in drier climates such as California and Hawaii, look promising. More research is needed under Midwest conditions.

3. Chemical baits

Wood or laminated texture cellulose favored by termites can be impregnated with a toxicant and/or insect growth regulator (IGR). Termite workers feed on the treated substance and carry it back to the nest, reducing or eliminating the entire colony.

a) DowElanco's Sentricon Colony Elimination System utilizes an insect growth regulator (IGR) hexaflumuron bait 0.5 percent (non-insecticide) against subterranean termites. Commercially available in May 1995 labeled for pest control operators only, they monitor for termite activity on your property. The Sentricon Station (a green cylindrical plastic tube with side ports for termite access) is placed in the soil at 12 to 20 feet intervals surrounding the house about 18 to 24 inches out from the structure. The tube top has a flat, round cover that lies flush with the soil surface when inserted to permit mowing grass over it. These cylindrical tubes (ten-inches deep by two-inches wide) first baited with wood (now a new, laminated texture cellulose), are placed in the soil in prime termite foraging areas around your house as a monitoring device to get "hits" (termites and feeding damage). When 10 to 100 termite workers are found attacking the wood in one or more stations, a baitube, containing Recruit*II Termite Bait, is substituted. Captured termites feed on Recruit*II, tunnel out and send their colony nestmates back to feed on the bait.

After several weeks, the colony will start to decline and eventually be eliminated. After a colony has been eliminated, used Baitube devices will again be replaced with monitoring devices. The pest control operator will continue to inspect on a monthly basis for any signs of a new colony that might try to invade your property.

Termites normally grow by molting (shedding their exoskeleton). The bait, hexaflumuron is a "chitin synthesis inhibitor" that prevents termites from growing by stopping the molting process. As a result, the colony is eliminated over time.

The Sentricon System is more Integrated Pest Management (IPM) oriented, and requires no drilling in floors and foundations, less digging up of shrubs and other landscaping, and can be used to treat houses with wells and cisterns. "Outdoor' in-ground monitoring and baiting can be done without entering the house. However, recently approved in April 1997 for Ohio is an "indoor" above-ground baiting system, Recruit*AG wrap around soft packs in mud tubes and hard packs on sills, (Ohio 24c Special Local Need Registration). Bait can now be placed directly within mud tubes indoors, such as crawl spaces, interior foundations, walls, etc., year around, permitting faster direct access to bait and quicker colony elimination.

Since colony elimination, "crashes," is not always immediate (several weeks or months), the pest control operator may do spot treatments with an approved, labeled pesticide for quick localized control. Some PCOs guarantee if after two years on the system and termites are still present, they will treat with pesticides according to the customer's wishes.

The Sentricon System is ongoing and the customer pays for continuous monitoring after elimination of the termites if required. There is an initial installation fee and yearly fee per structure. The system is a little more costly than pesticide treatments based on extra labor and ongoing monitoring required. Ohio ranks second in the nation (7-8,000 plus) behind Florida with paid customers in the below ground Sentricon Termite Bait program.

Spring to early summer are good bait months. (Peak termite worker feeding months are March, April, May, June, September, November and December. If stations are "hit" by termite workers, then colonies often can be eliminated by autumn or the following spring, depending on the colony size, number of colonies, season, etc.

For more specific details, call
Sentricon* Information
1-800-686-6200
WEB Address: Sentricon.com

b) FMC Corporation in October 1996 introduced a ready-to-use Termite Bait Station using sulfluramid (FirstLine) 0.01%, a slow-acting insecticide stomach poison in a cellulosic matrix labeled for pest control operators only for termite colony reduction.

The bait suppresses or controls termites in infested areas. FirstLine Termite Bait Stations must be placed in close proximity to active, foraging termites. Insert stations in mulch or soil no more than two feet apart. Focus on the areas of termite tubing. Termites may require one to four months or more for control.

Bait stations can be inserted outdoors into soil, mulch, stumps, slabs, etc., and indoors attached to infested wood or masonry. PCOs inspect the stations every two to four weeks until the bait is consumed and/or termite activity ceases. The frequency of inspection depends on foraging pressure and climatic conditions.

For more specific details, call
FMC Corporation
1-800-321-3621

4. Biological

A fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae, Strain ESCI (Bio-Blast) is a biological termiticide. It is odorless, vaporless, nonstaining and infected termites can pass the agent (fungus) to other termites through the horizontal transfer effect. Bio-Blast is labeled for control of existing termite infestations in structures and their immediate surroundings and for residual protection of treated wood. Spray effectiveness is enhanced when applied to many foraging termites. Treated termites return to the colony, spreading the biological active ingredient to others. Treatments can be made both indoors and outdoors.

For more details, contact
EcoScience Corporation
(908)432-8200.
 

NOTE: Disclaimer - This publication may contain pesticide recommendations that are subject to change at any time. These recommendations are provided only as a guide. It is always the pesticide applicator's responsibility, by law, to read and follow all current label directions for the specific pesticide being used. Due to constantly changing labels and product registrations, some of the recommendations given in this writing may no longer be legal by the time you read them. If any information in these recommendations disagrees with the label, the recommendation must be disregarded. No endorsement is intended for products mentioned, nor is criticism meant for products not mentioned. Crawford Home Inspection inc., The author and Ohio State University Extension assume no liability resulting from the use of these recommendations.
 

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