Termites cause more damage every year than fire and windstorms combined, costing Americans 2 billion dollars a year in damage and in almost all cases they are not covered by homeowners insurance.

 

Termites are social insects that live in colonies underground. Termites construct mud tubes (called shelter tubes) and gain access from the soil up into the home. These shelter tubes may not always be visible. Termites are experts at hiding themselves and often come up through cracks which may exist in the middle of your homes foundation and are not visible from the exterior or interior of your home. Termites can fit through a crack as thin as a sheet of paper or 1/64 of an inch. Shelter tubes are usually about ¼ inch wide but in some cases may be as wide as 1 inch. 

 

Termite workers are white, blind and stay well hidden behind walls, underground, inside wood and shelter tubes. Termite soldiers look similar however they have large mandibles to protect the colony from other predators such as carpenter ants. Termite swarmers are black or brown with clear wings and emerge from soil or infested wood, usually in the early spring and attempt to reproduce and start new colonies.

 

 A termite colony can average more than one million termites and work 24 hours a day during the warmer months. A termite queen can live up to 25 years and lay thousands of eggs a year.

 

 Another sign of a termite infestation is the presence of termite swarmers. Swarmers generally emerge in the spring (occasionally in the fall) on warm days usually after a rainfall. Swarmers are often confused with “flying ants” by many homeowners. Swarms usually occur during the late morning (when most people are at work) and often only occur outdoors going unnoticed for years. Swarmers shed their wings after mating. They are attracted to light and wings can often be found around window frames, light fixtures and above drop ceiling panels near recessed lighting. The presence of swarmers inside a home indicates the presence of a nearby colony.

 

APCofMA specializes in termite inspection and treatment. Inspectors follow treatment guidelines laid out by the New England Pest Management Association. All real estate inspections include an NEPMA Form 33 detailing areas of activity, damage, evidence of prior treatment and inaccessible areas.

 

APCofMA offers free proposals for treatment of termites. An option for an annual termite renewal inspection is included with every termite treatment. This is a yearly follow up inspection that will extend your warranty on a yearly basis. This is an important part of any termite plan. It is important to keep a house under contract with your pest control provider. Upon sale of your home you will want to show buyers the home has been well maintained and the current warranty may be passed along to the next owner. If activity is found, APCofMA will retreat as needed at no cost to you. A diagram of the premises is drawn at the time of treatment detailing areas of damage, treatment techniques and products applied. This helps future inspectors and buyers know the history of the home.

 

APCofMA also offers monitoring programs for homes that show no signs of termites. Termite monitoring stations are installed in the soil around the perimeter of the home and checked routinely throughout the termite season. If activity is found and treatment recommended the money paid for monitoring will be applied toward a full termite treatment. This is a great way to detect the presence of termites before they enter the home and cause damage. Due to the difficulty in detecting termites (especially with certain types of construction) this is a popular choice for many buyers looking to protect their investment.

 

APCofMA offers several types of treatments from liquid applications with Termidor, direct wood treatments with Boar-Care and Tim-Bor and baiting programs with the Advance Termite Baiting System. Ask your inspector to design a program that will work best for your home.

 

       

 

 

        

 Termite Workers and Soldiers 

 

 

            

        Termite Workers in Wood 

 

 

 

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