Termites

Professional Termite Pest Control Norfolk Virginia

• Termites colonize to protect the species from extinction. They colonize when feeding, traveling, nesting, foraging for food, and reproducing. The colony consists of a queen, a king, swarmer(s), soldier, and worker. Each member has important job duties that play major roles in the survival of the colony and species
• The termite diet consists of cellulose, deriving from various plant species, cardboard, paperboard, furniture, wood, cotton fiber, paper, and yard debris
• Dirt mounds are the first sign of a potential termite tunnel. Like ants, termites build underground tunnel networks. At the entrance of the tunnel, a mound of dirt, which was previously removed from the tunnel during the construction
• Some species of termite burrow tunnels in wood, as part of the nesting process
• Mud tubes constructed from a mixture of wood and dirt are utilized by termites as safe passageways from predatory animals and insects
• 95 Percent of the damage caused by the species is almost always linked to the Subterranean termite in North America. The repairs tally up to nearly $2 billion, according to evidence

Termite Colony – Role Of Each Member

As previously mentioned, each termite colony has a queen and a king. Other members include winged and wingless swarmers, workers, and soldiers.

Termite Queen – Most Important Member Of The Colony

The queen starts out as a winged swarmer. The second, the swarmer sheds her wings, she initiates a search for a suitable king. After choosing a king, the two mate, the beginning of what will soon be a termite colony. It does not take long for the queen to build her new colony, as she is a prolific breeder. As a prolific breeder, the queen lays up to 20 eggs per day and 30,000 in her lifetime.

All members of the colony continuously pamper the queen. The queen is so pampered, a group of workers regularly reposition her body. Not because she refuses to do it, but her large size prohibits her mobility. It is not unusual for a termite queen to grow up to nearly 4 inches in length.

A group of workers remains on standby while the queen lays her eggs. Once the eggs are laid, the workers begin to relocate them to an incubation chamber. The workers continue to care for the queen’s eggs until they hatch, which takes between 10 and 14 days. The freshly hatched eggs are moved once again to an area that replicates a nursery.

Some termite queens lay their eggs year-round, while others overwinter, entering a state of deep sleep. Overwintering generally begins in late fall or early spring, continuing until the following spring.

The average life of a termite queen is 10 years, according to evidence.

Termite King – Termite Queen’s Partner

The termite king plays a significant role in building and maintaining a viable colony. While the evidence is scant, the termite king continues to mate with the queen. Like the queen, the king’s average lifespan is 10 years.

The king and queen continue to mate, replacing deceased workers and soldiers.

Termite Soldier – Responsible For Security

The soldier termite is responsible for security. The soldier fights off enemy termites trying to raid the colony’s food supply. Like the termite workers, the soldiers work around the clock to protect the colony from unexpected raids.

Termite soldiers do not have wings or flying capabilities. The body is white to translucent in color. A strong set of mandibles is the soldier’s biggest defense against enemy termites and predatory animals and insects.

Termite Worker – Hardest Working Member

The termite worker’s job duties are endless. The member is responsible for keeping the colony’s food supply stocked, caring for the eggs and larvae, repositioning the queen, and erecting new nests for the young. They are also responsible for building the colony’s first underground tunneling system. Once the underground network is completed, a group of works will continue to maintain it.

The worker’s wingless body is white to translucent in color. The worker grows up to 10 millimeters long.

Termite Winged And Wingless Swarmers

Winged and wingless termite swarmers are both female and male. Swarmers are the only member of the termite colony attracted to outdoor lighting. The insects fly toward the light from dusk to dawn nightly.

Winged swarmers are responsible for leaving their colonies behind, in search of mates to start new colonies. The female swarmer becomes the queen of a new colony

Most Common Termite Sighting In Norfolk VA

Most Norfolk residents can identify the termite. With a lack of knowledge and experience, differentiating between different species of termite is not possible. When termite sightings are reported in Norfolk, they become part of a government statistic. Most of the termite sightings are determined to be Subterranean species.

The average length of the Subterranean termite is 1/2 of an inch. The body varies between white and translucent, with strong mandibles for gnawing. The species is notorious for its mud tubes, which can be found near their nests, frequently traveled pathways, and underground tunneling networks.

Interesting Facts About Termites

Termites are interesting but destructive pests. Below, you’ll find interesting facts about termites.

• The termites in a colony are going to consume wood 24 hours each day. They never stop destroy wood. They do not take days off.
• A termite colony can survive for many, many years. Don’t be surprised if the termite colony on your property stays around for 50 to 70 years.
• A termite colony can support as many as 500,000 individual termites at once.
• Termites are helpful because they get rid of fallen trees and deadwood.
• Termites have to have access to water. If Subterranean termites do not have access to water, they’re going to dry and die.
• Termites can live above ground but special precautions need to be taken. They’ll keep their mud tubes wet using water from the ground.
• The primary predator of termites is the ant. Worker termites are often attacked by ants while they’re searching for food.
• A termite colony can be fully eradicated using the right techniques.
• Researchers have identified more than 2,000 termite species around the world.
• Only 40 termite species can be found in the United States.
• Subterranean termites live in every American state, but they’re not in Alaska.
• Subterranean termites contribute to 90% of the damage done to American buildings annually.
• These pests do not chew through concrete but they can easily slip through its small gaps.
• Worker termites are responsible for feeding other termites. They chew cellulose before digesting it. Then, they’ll regurgitate it and feed it to other termites.
• Queen termites often live more than 20 years. Each day, these termites can lay thousands of termite eggs.

Are Termites Dangerous?

Ultimately, termites do not pose a direct threat to homeowners, renters, or business owners. However, they can put you in a dangerous situation. Termites chew through wood. They like living on the residential property because they’ll chew the wood supporting your home. Over time, they’re going to make your home unsafe. Once this happens, there is a risk that your home is going to crash down on you. It is pertinent to be cautious because this can happen quicker than you might believe. As soon as you suspect termites have invaded your property, call a professional.

Ways To Eliminate Termites

You need to work quickly to find an effective termite solution. However, this won’t be easy. In general, these pests can travel a long distance from their nest. They’ll travel 300 feet or further using underground tunnels. Unfortunately, this makes it hard for ordinary consumers to find their nesting site. Unless you know where it is located, you won’t be able to eliminate them. To guarantee satisfactory results, you have to treat the entire colony and each termite. Suffice to say, this will be incredibly difficult on your own. Our company offers full-scale termite solutions so we can help deal with them. We’ll inspect your property before developing a plan to fix the problem.

Call us so we can get started right away.

Dealing With Termites Yourself

Can you tackle a termite infestation without hiring a professional? Ultimately, you can try but you may not achieve your goals. There are several problems involved. For starters, it is hard to find effective treatments. Plus, you have to worry about the risks involved with do-it-yourself products. Don’t use unsafe chemicals around your loved ones. Work with us and we’ll keep you safe.

Our Techs Are Ready To Help

Get in touch with a representative from our office today. We’ll make sure someone gets back to you within 24 to 48 hours.

Our Termite Solutions Protect You

You cannot ignore the potential risks associated with pesticides. If you do, you’re going to regret it because someone could get ill. Instead, you’ll want to protect your loved ones to the fullest. We believe we can help since we use EPA-registered products to keep our clients safe. Work with us and your safety will be our top priority. The products we administer do not pose any risks to pets, people, or plants. Our technicians know how to use these products safely to eliminate the termites in your home while keeping everyone safe.

Don’t Let Bedbugs Invade Your Homeowner

Before your home becomes infested with termites, take steps to keep them out. Use the tips below to avoid potential termite problems.

• Never let water collect around your building’s foundation. Doing so will make the foundation better for termites. To avoid problems, make sure that your gutter system is working correctly. Check your air conditioning system, pipes, and faucet to ensure that they’re not causing water problems.
• Be careful when dealing with humidity problems. It is common for humidity problems in attics and crawlspaces to support termites.
• Firewood needs to be properly stored around your home. Never place it close to your building. Raise it from the ground’s surface and keep it at least twenty feet away.
• Wood mulch should be laid away from the dwelling. If you’re using wood mulch instead of rubber mulch, place it 15 inches or further from your home.
• Check for termite signs several times each week. Be sure to look for cracked paint, hollow wood, and mud tubes.

Do you suspect that you have termites on your property? Pick up the phone and call our office so we can get rid of them. Remember, we offer free termite inspection and consultation, with written quotes. Our extermination team works extended schedules to bring Norfolk consumers high-quality pest control services.

To schedule your free consultation, reach out to our Norfolk customer support team via landline, email, or social media.

Why Hire Us!

• We are a locally owned and operated pest control company in Norfolk
• We offer free consultation, inspection, and written estimates
• We hire local talent to give back to our communities

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