The warm, damp, and cool weather- odd as it is, is the perfect type of conditions for termites to swarm. It also means that new termite colonies will form in April and that can spell trouble for homeowners.
What Is Termite Swarming?
A termite swarm is literally a ball of termites in flight. An oddity to be sure, since for most of their lives, termites do not have wing. In the spring, termite colonies divide, and a new queen flies off with a swarm of workers. It is a similar event when bees swarms. At its simplest a swarming of termites is the beginning of a new termite colony.
What Termite Swarming Means For Homeowners
If a termite swarm lands near your home, and it goes unnoticed, then it is very possible that the termites will take up residency under your home. Termite damage is slow to start, so their presence will likely go unnoticed for years or until you have a wood destroying insect inspection.
A large colony of termites can eat about one foot of a 2×4 board in a day. Not that they literally divide the wood into segments, but in volume. Termites live in the wood they consume. If that is a foundation support timber, the house will begin to “settle” or sag over the span of years. Each year, the timber becomes weaker until you notice that doors and windows are more difficult to open and close. The levelness of the house is beginning to tilt and become untrue.
What You Can Do To Prevent Termite Damage
Be watchful during the spring and early summer for swarms of termites. If you see a swarm near your home, call on our professional and skilled pest control technicians to deal with them. You can order a wood destroying insect inspection which can tell you if any of the long list of wood-eating insects have begun to gnaw on your home.
For all of your pest control needs, give us a call. We provide comprehensive home pest control and commercial pest control services throughout the Bryan and College Station community.