Termites

Termites cause over 5 billion dollars worth of damage a year. Another 2.2 billion is spent on the control of termites each year. They will invade any structure from the Statue of Liberty to the White House to Your House. No structure is immune. A quality Pest Prevention specialist is your best guarantee.

HOW TO IDENTIFY TERMITES

The most common termite colony that we have in this area of North Carolina is the eastern subterranean termite colony (although a few Formosan termite colonies have been identified in North Carolina). A termite colony consists of the primary reproductives (also know as swarmers or winged reproductives) - the queen, workers, soldiers and supplementary reproductives. What most homeowners usually see first are these swarmers.

Termite swarmers (winged reproductives) bodies are about 3/8" long and black to dark brown. Their bodies are shaped with no apparent distinct body parts and a thick waist that gives it a shape of your finger. Swarmers have 4 equal wings that are translucent or milky color with no apparent veins and extend beyond the abdomen. Sometimes the homeowner will only see the discarded wings in great numbers and no insects. The termite has straight antennae. Swarmers usually emerge from an infested tree stump or log or they can swarm inside a home or structure. They can swarm by the hundreds or thousands. This swarm happens usually from March to June but can also happen in autumn. The only purpose of the swarmers is to reproduce and start new colonies; it does no damage but can be frightening to homeowners when they see hundreds or thousands.

The signs of a termite's presence are:

Small holes in wood
Crumbling drywall or indentations in drywall; the termites have eaten the paper off the drywall
Sagging doors and floors
Mud tubes in any location that are in contact with the ground
Shed wings

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINGED TERMITES AND WINGED ANTS

Often people will see swarms of winged ants and think that they are seeing termites. The following pictures illustrate the difference between the two.

How to Identify Ants vs Termites

THE BIOLOGY AND HABITS OF TERMITES

The queen and king are primary reproductives. As the colony develops, the queen's only purpose is to lay eggs. She can live up to 30 years and can lay between 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year once the colony is mature. These eggs develop into the 3 different castes: workers, soldiers and reproductives, (primary and secondary). Mature colonies can have 60,000 workers. There is no wonder they do so much damage!

The workers: Are the most numerous individuals in the colony and perform all the work. This includes making tunnels, grooming the queen, and feeding the other members. The worker has the ability to chew wood or cellulous. This is where the damage comes from as well as their economic significance. The workers, during their molting, can become soldiers, swarmers or secondary reproductives.

The soldiers: The soldier's only purpose is to defend the colony. When the mud tubes are damaged, they aggressively defend the colony until the workers repair the mud tubes. They have large heads and use their large jaws against the intruder. They are far fewer than the workers.

The reproductives: These are the swarmers described in the identity section. The secondary reproductives can change due to the needs of the colony. They are in older, more mature colonies. They can also produce eggs and in a crisis or need, they can serve as replacements to the primary reproductives.

Ways to reduce the conditions that harbor and attract Termites:

Remove leaf clutter near structure and in gutters
Remove earth-wood contact
Re-direct sprinklers away from the structure
Keep mulch away from structure
Do not stack wood next to structure
Remove infested stumps and trees
Reduce moisture content in crawlspaces
Repair all leaks in structure inside and out
Make sure water is graded away from structure (including air conditioners)
Install moisture barriers over 80 to 90% of crawl space
Make sure all stucco and form boards are at least 4 inches from ground
Seek professional assistance through a company with a superior time-tested reputation providing excellent initial service using the best materials and ongoing renewal service by highly trained technicians

Keep in mind that just because you do not see termites or their damage, it does not mean they are not there.

Even the best and most experienced termite inspector can only inspect about 25% of the structure that termites could possibly be in or seen. The best protection is to have your home treated and protected by a qualified pest company that specializes in termite treatment. Make sure that this company has a good reputation by all regulatory agencies and has an outstanding follow-up Warranty program performed by a certified technician. Economy Exterminators meets and exceeds these requirements.

Why Choose Economy Exterminators for Your Termite Control Needs:

Economy Exterminators is a company that has been on the cutting edge of new materials and technology. Economy Exterminators was chosen in 1993 to be one of the few quality companies in The United States that tested the Sentricon Colony Elimination System before it was introduced to the market. Again in 1999, because of its reputation of being a leader in the industry, Economy Exterminators was again chosen to test the new material called Termidor made at that time by a French company, Rhone Poulenc. Later, Termidor was introduced into the market in 2000. It has become the market standard. We are happy to be a part of these new and lasting innovations because we are always looking for new and improved methods to give the best service available to our customers. Our reputation depends on it!

What you get when you call Economy Exterminators for Termite Pest Control Services:

An immediate on-time free inspection.
A qualified North Carolina Pest Control Association Accredited WDIR Inspector that has met all educational, on the job training and state requirements to be awarded this certificate.
A throughout physical inspection, by visual and sound detection.
A graph of the entire structure with notations of all critical items (crawl space moisture %, etc.)
A - North Carolina Official Waiver of Minimum Standards for the Control of Subterranean Termites in Existing Structures (form #5).
A written quote with special payment options
Competitive pricing
A reputation that no one surpasses.

Choose Economy Exterminators for your comprehensive, professional and proven effective termite protection program.

Take the first step today and Schedule a Free Termite Inspection.


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HOW TO IDENTIFY TERMITES The most common termite colony that we have in this area of North Carolina is the eastern subterranean termite colony (although a few Formosan termite colonies have been identified in North Carolina). A termite colony consists of the primary reproductives (also know as swarmers or winged reproductives) - the queen, workers, soldiers and supplementary reproductives. What most homeowners usually see first are these swarmers. Termite swarmers (winged reproductives) bodies are about 3/8" long and black to dark brown. Their bodies are shaped with no apparent distinct body parts and a thick waist that gives it a shape of your finger. Swarmers have 4 equal wings that are translucent or milky color with no apparent veins and extend beyond the abdomen. Sometimes the homeowner will only see the discarded wings in great numbers and no insects. The termite has straight antennae. Swarmers usually emerge from an infested tree stump or log or they can swarm inside a home or structure. They can swarm by the hundreds or thousands. This swarm happens usually from March to June but can also happen in autumn. The only purpose of the swarmers is to reproduce and start new colonies; it does no damage but can be frightening to homeowners when they see hundreds or thousands. The signs of a termite's presence are: Small holes in wood Crumbling drywall or indentations in drywall; the termites have eaten the paper off the drywall Sagging doors and floors Mud tubes in any location that are in contact with the ground Shed wings DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINGED TERMITES AND WINGED ANTS Often people will see swarms of winged ants and think that they are seeing termites. The following pictures illustrate the difference between the two. THE BIOLOGY AND HABITS OF TERMITES The queen and king are primary reproductives. As the colony develops, the queen's only purpose is to lay eggs. She can live up to 30 years and can lay between 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year once the colony is mature. These eggs develop into the 3 different castes: workers, soldiers and reproductives, (primary and secondary). Mature colonies can have 60,000 workers. There is no wonder they do so much damage! The workers: Are the most numerous individuals in the colony and perform all the work. This includes making tunnels, grooming the queen, and feeding the other members. The worker has the ability to chew wood or cellulous. This is where the damage comes from as well as their economic significance. The workers, during their molting, can become soldiers, swarmers or secondary reproductives. The soldiers: The soldier's only purpose is to defend the colony. When the mud tubes are damaged, they aggressively defend the colony until the workers repair the mud tubes. They have large heads and use their large jaws against the intruder. They are far fewer than the workers. The reproductives: These are the swarmers described in the identity section. The secondary reproductives can change due to the needs of the colony. They are in older, more mature colonies. They can also produce eggs and in a crisis or need, they can serve as replacements to the primary reproductives. Ways to reduce the conditions that harbor and attract Termites: Remove leaf clutter near structure and in gutters Remove earth-wood contact Re-direct sprinklers away from the structure Keep mulch away from structure Do not stack wood next to structure Remove infested stumps and trees Reduce moisture content in crawlspaces Repair all leaks in structure inside and out Make sure water is graded away from structure (including air conditioners) Install moisture barriers over 80 to 90% of crawl space Make sure all stucco and form boards are at least 4 inches from ground Seek professional assistance through a company with a superior time-tested reputation providing excellent initial service using the best materials and ongoing renewal service by highly trained technicians Keep in mind that just because you do not see termites or their damage, it does not mean they are not there. Even the best and most experienced termite inspector can only inspect about 25% of the structure that termites could possibly be in or seen. The best protection is to have your home treated and protected by a qualified pest company that specializes in termite treatment. Make sure that this company has a good reputation by all regulatory agencies and has an outstanding follow-up Warranty program performed by a certified technician. Economy Exterminators meets and exceeds these requirements. Why Choose Economy Exterminators for Your Termite Control Needs: Economy Exterminators is a company that has been on the cutting edge of new materials and technology. Economy Exterminators was chosen in 1993 to be one of the few quality companies in The United States that tested the Sentricon Colony Elimination System before it was introduced to the market. Again in 1999, because of its reputation of being a leader in the industry, Economy Exterminators was again chosen to test the new material called Termidor made at that time by a French company, Rhone Poulenc. Later, Termidor was introduced into the market in 2000. It has become the market standard. We are happy to be a part of these new and lasting innovations because we are always looking for new and improved methods to give the best service available to our customers. Our reputation depends on it! What you get when you call Economy Exterminators for Termite Pest Control Services: An immediate on-time free inspection. A qualified North Carolina Pest Control Association Accredited WDIR Inspector that has met all educational, on the job training and state requirements to be awarded this certificate. A throughout physical inspection, by visual and sound detection. A graph of the entire structure with notations of all critical items (crawl space moisture %, etc.) A - North Carolina Official Waiver of Minimum Standards for the Control of Subterranean Termites in Existing Structures (form #5). A written quote with special payment options Competitive pricing A reputation that no one surpasses. Choose Economy Exterminators for your comprehensive, professional and proven effective termite protection program. Take the first step today and Schedule a Free Termite Inspection.