Termites

More About Termites

• Termites work as a team to ensure that their colony survives and thrives. They’re social creatures that work together to find food, shelter, and water. In addition to this, they begin working to build new colonies.
• Termites eat cellulose which is found in various materials and plants. As a result, they’re going to eat cotton, paper, furniture, cardboard, and lumber. If not tackled quickly, termites can destroy your home.
• When the colony has overgrown, termites will begin building mounds. The colony typically lives in underground nests that cannot be seen easily. Some termites build nests in wood and create nests with other termites. If you have termites, you’ll likely find mud tubes near your home. Termites use mud tubes to access wood food sources.
• Although there are other species, the Subterranean termite is the most problematic in the United States. It causes 95% of the roughly $2 billion damage in the United States annually.

Termites have unique responsibilities and classes

Queen Termites

• The queen termite is the largest in the colony with most growing under 4 inches in length. It requires help from hundreds of worker termites to move the queen termite.
• Queen termites spend day and night producing eggs until the colony has enough workers and nymphs to thrive.
• Queen termites can live for ten years or longer. During her lifetime, she will lay 30,000 eggs each day.

King Termites

• The king is responsible for helping the queen reproduce. With his help, the colony will become well-established.
• Once the colony is healthy, the king will continue helping the queen mate and expanding the size of the group.

Worker Termites

• Worker termites are the backbone of the colony. They have soft, light bodies with no wings. They can grow up to 10mm and stay busy around the clock.
• Workers live and work in the tunnels at all times. It is rare for worker termites to leave the tunnels of their colonies. They’ll perform many tasks, including finding food, feeding other termites, and caring for termite eggs.

Soldier Termites

• They look like worker termites because they have white, soft bodies and no wings.
• However, they have a longer head and powerful jaws so they can defend the colony against invaders.
• Although they will fight other predators, their primary concern is ants.

Winged Swarmers

• Winged termite swarmers are adult reproductives of both genders.
• Thanks to their developed wings, they can leave the primary colony in hopes of starting new colonies somewhere else.
• Termite colonies always have one king and one queen, but they have many swarmers.

Which Species Of Termite Is In Honolulu?

Although other species of termites might be found in Honolulu, you’ll mostly have to worry about Subterranean termites.

Basics

It is a good idea to learn as much about termites as possible since you never know when they’ll target your home. Subterranean termites have worker termites, soldier termites, a queen, a king, and swarmers. The shape and appearance depend on the termite’s role. Workers tend to each 3/8s of an inch and soldiers may be the same size. Reproductives or swarmers can grow up to half an inch. The difference between soldiers and workers is that soldiers have powerful mandibles and noticeable longer heads.

Activities

These termites live in colonies underground, but they can also live in moist locations above the surface. They will build and use mud tubes to make it easier for them to access nearby food sources. In addition to this, the tubes can protect them from open air. Subterranean termites consume products that contain cellulose. They release swarmers in spring so they can spread the colony to new locations.

Primary Threats

You have to stop a Subterranean termite infestation as quickly as possible because it is one of the most destructive species. They have powerful jaws so they can chew through wood. If you don’t address this issue quickly, they will severely damage your home and decrease its value.

Flying Termites & Flying Ants

Although flying ants resemble termites, they’re not equal. You’ll find that they were some unique differences between them.

Wings – Flying ants have front and back wings that are different sizes. However, they’re tougher and won’t break off easily. Flying termite wings are the same size, but they’re more fragile.

Waist – Flying ants have a pinched waist and flying termites do not.

Antenna – Flying ants have elbowed antennas while flying termites have straight antennas.

Notable Termite Facts

• Termites will continue eating around the clock. There is no break so the damage done to your home will accelerate rapidly.
• A colony can survive for many, many years. It is common for termite colonies to survive for 70 years.
• Unfortunately, 500,000 termites can typically live in a termite colony in the United States.
• Although termites are problematic for homeowners, they are great for the environment since they break down decaying wood.
• Subterranean termites need water or they will dry out and die.
• When living and moving above ground, termites build tunnels and tubes. They keep them wet.
• Termites fear ants because they can attack termite workers and entire colonies.
• You can take steps to eliminate all termites.
• The world has more than 2,000 species of termites with most being in tropical locations.
• 40 species can be found in the United States with most found in the Southeast region.
• Subterranean termites are found in every state in American except Alaska.
• Subterranean termites cause most of the damage caused by termites in America.
• They cannot chew through concrete, but they can maneuver through its small tracks.
• Worker termites are responsible for chewing, digesting, and regurgitating cellulose so they can feed other members of the colony.
• Queens can live more than 20 years while laying thousands of eggs each day.

The Dangers Of Termites

Ultimately, termites are not dangerous to humans. They’re not going to bite or transmit diseases. Still, they can create major issues and need to be stopped quickly. If you don’t get rid of the termites around your home, they’ll destroy your home and make it uninhabitable. Call an exterminator quickly so you can maintain the value of your home.

How Can I Remove Termites From My Property?

Once you’ve found termites on your property, getting rid of them is imperative. They can travel up to 300 feet away from their colony so they won’t be easy to remove from your property. Before you can get rid of them, you must locate their colony and that won’t be easy. The whole colony needs to be destroyed. Otherwise, the queen will continue reproducing and the colony will recover. Our company uses techniques to effectively get rid of termites in Honolulu. We recommend calling us so we can help you deal with this issue.

Can I Eliminate Termites On My Own?

Unfortunately, getting rid of termites will be difficult so it may not be possible. Furthermore, you don’t want to accidentally expose yourself to dangerous chemicals. You need to protect your loved ones by hiring a professional exterminator. We can deal with termite pest problems without putting you at risk.

When Can Your Exterminators Arrive?

Contact our office to learn more about our services and to schedule an appointment with a skilled exterminator. Our exterminators are ready to begin helping you with this frustrating problem. We’ll respond to your call within 48 hours.

Is Termite Pesticides Harmful To Dogs And Cats?

We have a broad range of pesticides – organic, natural, chemical-based, and nontoxic – to eradicate termites in all phases of the life cycle. It is a fact that chemical-based pesticides pose a health risk to animals when administered, stored, handled, and transported improperly. EPA-approved pesticides have been tested time and time again to determine effectiveness, safety, and potency. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is dedicated to protecting the environment, humans, and animals from exposure to the dangerous chemicals found in pesticides. Our EPA-approved pest control products are only utilized in homes and businesses when unoccupied.

How To Prevent Future Termite Infestations After Initial Infiltration?

• A termite infestation breaks down a residential pest barrier, the structures that prevent pest access into the home. Rebuilding and improving the pest barrier will prove effective in preventing future infestations.
• Correct humidity in crawlspaces, basements, attics, laundry rooms, and bathrooms, utilizing dehumidifiers and proper ventilation.
• Remove stored lumber and firewood a suitable distance away from the home. Install barriers to keep the wood at least 10 inches above the ground.
• Divert runoff from air conditioner unit, downspouts, and gutters away from the home
• Do not install wood mulch near the home’s foundation.
• Conduct routine visual inspections of the home’s structure and foundation. Repair damaged structures as a future termite deterrent.
• Contact our Honolulu office to schedule a free termite inspection of your home and property at your earliest convenience.

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