Desert termites – yep these little gals are a bit on the weird side. They look for food 24/7/365 and they build tubes up and down. Instead of having to go back the same route, they go down possibly to save time on getting back to the ground and their source of water or moisture.
Termites are not generally a Do It Yourself pest issue, so call a Pest Management Professional for the best plan to keep them out.
I know you want to party but these are not the guests you want at your party. Termites will seek every opportunity to gain access into your home or business. Why then would you give them an invitation in?
A few tips:
1st picture mud tube on foundation slab, 2nd picture the corner of pallet as it came into contact with foundation slab, 3rd entire pallet has termites.
Grass eating termites love old decaying wood or cellulose. This can be cactus or just plain grass .
Normally speaking these seldom make their way into structures but keep an eye out for mud tubes on your foundations wall on inside on the drywall.
Mud dauber wasp – Every once in a while we get a call from someone thinking they have termites. The picture is a mud dauber wasp, the female constructs this nest out of dirt. Shen then paralyzes a few spiders and deposits an egg within – providing lunch for her offspring. Mud daubers don’t generally sting or defend their nest but that isn’t a reason to harass them because they can sting if provoked. You might find them collecting water to help build their nest.
Just wait for the baby wasp to hatch out or use a shovel to dislodge the mud nest.
Take a look at the termite mud tube – it is amazing but it came down the drywall, past the baseboard onto the foundation slab and then catty corner away from the expansion joint.
Just think of the skill it takes to build a mud tube and especially at a angle. I’m impressed. OK termites have been at this for over 250 million years but it is still artwork!
Sometimes when addressing a termite issue in a home, it really pays to know your stuff. I look at distance from the outside of the home, I look for cracks and often times I have an idea of where they are getting access. I usually write notes to the technician to give my opinion because the adage is generally correct – 2 minds are better than one.
I have mentioned before if you are replacing carpet or tile and you find cracks in the slab – it is better to be proactive dealing with termites. Always better to drill before the new floor goes down. I really hate messing up a newly installed floor – call and ask for our opinion. ProBest Pest Pest Management 480-831-9328
They are munching at wood 24/7/365 and frankly speaking you know it’s just a matter of time before they get to your home. Termites consume wood or cellulose and convert it into energy to live. So what should you look for:
“EPA pesticide bans threaten you and the economy” by Alan Caruba.
Not killing pests, insects and rodents, is a great way to put everyone’s health in jeopardy. New York City announced a new war in May against rats and will spend $600,000 to hire new inspectors to deal with an increased population. Lyme disease and West Nile Fever are just two of the diseases that require serious insect pest control. A wide variety of insects spread many diseases from Salmonella to Hantavirus. Termites do billions in property damage every year.
I’m a big believer in IPM or Integrated Pest Management – the use of all things in your toolbox before you get or have to use pesticide. There are many things out there that can kill you and all I’m saying is that we have to use common sense in our actions. Everyone touts these GREEN oils and products and if they all worked as well as pesticides I would think we as an industry would use them more and more. But the facts are not conclusive yet that they hold up as long or kill as efficiently as pesticides do. We are using more and more inside versus pesticide because we promote outside first and inside only as the last option.
Rant and rave post:
First off this story is out of Canada but could be taken right out of the news here in the US. “Homeowner wants city to cover the cost of termite inspections” and ultimately corrective procedure measures and the cost.
Here is my opinion: you own the house it is your responsibility – where and when did it become part of the Governments responsibility? Just this last week my truck windshield was hit by 2 rocks or stones in one day. I think the Government should reimburse me for the cost of replacing my windshield. It is their highway and they put the rocks on the side of the road. See the difference, oh wait there isn’t a difference – sh– happens folks and it is the cost of driving or owning a house.
Now with that said, I can see maybe the local extension office getting involved with opinions and advice but this clearly is the role of a homeowner. Come on people, the Government is too BIG as it is – where does it stop. Comments please.
Photo by PPMA
One thing I have noticed over my years is that those termites just keep on going, much like that Energizer Bunny. They are searching 24/7/365 and won’t stop until they find food, they may turn and go another way but they keep on going.
In nature they just set off in search of food, they follow roots and sometimes get to concrete and turn left or right and follow it again until they find wood or food.
So if you see trails like this, or mud tubes or down tubes hanging from a ceiling it is time to call your Pest Management Professional.
Call ProBest Pest Management at 480-831-9328 or 623-414-0176 for your termite or pest inspection.
