Termites are one of the most costly pests that Manchester homeowners can encounter. These pests can be attracted to a property due to water damage or simply by the existence of wood in the home. One of the most common methods of eliminating termite colonies is fumigation tenting, which is also known as tenting. It’s been a popular approach since it was first put into use decades ago; however, because the process requires pumping gas into a colony in order to eliminate them, they are quickly falling out of favor with homeowners who are dedicated to their health and preserving the environment.
With professional pest control in Manchester from the team at EcoChoice Termite & Pest Control, getting rid of termites without tenting is possible. In this handy guide, we’ll explain what subterranean termites eat, help you understand their habits, and explain what your options are for treatment. Please enjoy these tips and contact us for information on scheduling your initial termite inspection.
How To Identify Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites are one of the more common termites that appear around Manchester properties. They enter homes through the foundation, as the name would suggest. They also look for areas of mulch, wood-to-foundation contact, and overwatered flower beds as a means to access the wood that they require to sustain themselves.
There are various members of the colony, which starts with the worker. This subterranean termite is milky white to cream in color and has a peanut-shaped body with small antennae. The winged reproductive member looks most like an ant with a set of smooth wings, and the queen is an amber-colored (but sometimes cream-colored) extra long termite. When she is carrying egg sacs, the queen will have a distended abdomen that changes her appearance dramatically.
Another key way that locals can identify subterranean termites is by the damage that they cause. To start, homeowners might notice the presence of subterranean termite swarmers flying around their property. These are the winged reproductive members that leave their colonies when they become overcrowded in order to create their own. Homeowners may also find piles of discarded wings, which are produced once these termites have mated. This act then means that a new termite colony is probably not far behind.
Another iconic sign of subterranean termites is the presence of mud tubes. These are exterior structures that this species builds to serve as protection while they are coming and going from the colony. Additionally, these termites will also construct galleries, which are helpful tunnels. Homeowners may also experience doors and windows that are difficult to close because the subterranean termite produces moisture when they’re building tunnels and this forces wood to swell. Lastly, homeowners that have encountered subterranean termites might notice subtle sounds coming from inside of their walls because these termites produce a vibration to alert the rest of the colony that danger might be near.
For complete subterranean termite control in Manchester, contact the termite experts, EcoChoice Termite & Pest Control.
Subterranean Termites: Assessing Their Feeding Habits
Subterranean termites in Manchester are termites that access homes in some of the sneakiest ways, and homeowners might not even be aware that they’re doing it. This process happens because they are in search of their ideal meal, which is wood. Once a subterranean termite colony grows, they are capable of eating this wood all day, every day without stopping. They use their immensely powerful jaws to make this a reality. Because this species desires wood, they are not fussy about where they find it or what the state of it is.
Subterranean termites will eat away at sheds, garages, trees, foundations, walls, hardwood floors, cabinetry, structural framing, and anything else that contains wood. Subterranean termites will also eat materials made of cellulose, which means that their damage can go far beyond the commonly known issues like swollen wood and the potential for crumbling foundations. Some examples of cellulose materials include textiles, cardboard, plants and other greenery, important documents, and packing materials.
At EcoChoice Termite & Pest Control, we are the trusted local experts in termite control; it’s in our name! We bring our adherence to Integrated Pest Management methods to every service that we offer in order to deliver our customers the safest services that actually last. We know that the reality of subterranean termite infestations is that they can develop at any time due to the sheer existence of wood as well as the amount of humidity, moisture, rain, and heat that Manchester residents will encounter during the spring and summer months.
For more information on subterranean termite habits, please contact us today.
How To Get Rid Of Subterranean Termites Without Tenting
The concept of tenting for subterranean termites has been a popular option for eliminating termites for the last several decades; however, it entails fumigation methods and pumping potentially dangerous gasses inside of homes. This is what’s steering Manchester homeowners towards safer, eco-conscious methods; a desire to reduce harm to themselves, their pets, and the environment. Some of the additional benefits of tentless treatments include there being no need to evacuate the home for any period of time, nothing inside of the home needs to be moved, there is no harm or damage done to the property itself, and life can go on without interruption.
Some of the tentless treatment options start with spot treatments. While these usually require a pest control company to make small drill points, they target the injection of pesticides in a very localized way that other methods cannot achieve. There is also the option of bait and barrier treatments that put chemicals directly inside of walls and beneath the ground. By using this method, the barriers force termites to follow a distinctly narrow path out of the colony to where the technician has determined they should go. The option of non-fumigation heat treatments is also available to homeowners, and while they do use a tent, they do not follow the same hazardous methods that traditional tenting requires. This process utilizes constant heat of high temperatures for at least an hour and precisely targets an entire infestation.
At EcoChoice Termite & Pest Control, we are the local experts in safe and effective subterranean termite services that do not involve tenting. We employ products like the Sentricon® System with Always Active™ and Termidor® HE in order to infect colonies while causing limited interruption to our customers’ daily lives. Environmental consciousness and safety are at the core of everything that we do, so none of our treatment options will involve tenting or products that can risk the well-being of our customers.
For more information on how Manchester pest control can address harmful subterranean termites, please contact us today.
Total Termite Control Made Easy In Manchester
Termite control for Manchester homeowners doesn’t have to be stressful and it can, in fact, produce real results that last. At EcoChoice Termite & Pest Control, we work with residents to provide them with total termite control at every turn.
Some of the straightforward termite services that we provide include:
- Wood-Destroying Insect Reports: Our WDIR reports are an invaluable tool for new home buyers, lenders, and real estate agents who need to inform another party of the current state of a property. During this process, we perform an in-depth property inspection to look for current termite activity, past termite colonies, or other wood-destroying organisms. This is an official report that is recognized by a variety of institutions in the real estate industry. They will also save people a significant amount of money and headaches for buying a home that they didn’t know was invaded by termites.
- Termite monitoring: We offer termite monitoring services for homeowners who want to take a proactive stance against termites. As part of this service, we install the TM-1 termite monitors from trusted company B&G around homes. We find these monitors very easy to install, they’re safe for people and the environment, we can inspect them swiftly, and they’re also a very cost-effective way to prevent a problem before they have the chance to happen.
- Liquid termite service: Some instances call for liquid treatments and in these situations, we apply Termidor® HE. We apply this in a shallow trench around the perimeter of homes and it slowly infects a colony, eliminating it in under three months. We also provide regular inspections for this service as well.
- Bait service: In order to provide ongoing protection from termites, we install the Sentricon® System with Always Active™, which is the number one termite baiting system in the world. It lures termites who bring back the elimination agents to their colony, thus killing it off. We inspect these stations every six months.
For more information on the types of total termite control that we offer, please call us today.