All posts in “termites”

What are My TOP 10 Tips for keeping bugs out of your home?

Comments Off on What are My TOP 10 Tips for keeping bugs out of your home?

TOP 10 Tips

Watch the useful Tips video below to get useful, helpful techniques for preventing bugs from getting into your home or business. I have to think that most people dislike bugs getting into the home and frankly there is no reason to put up with them. Home-sealing is probably the most economical as it will help to lower electric bills both in Winter and Summer. Keeping the heat or cooling systems at peak efficiency and keeping $$$$ in your pocket.

Think outside your house, think about the roof and out buildings. You will have to think like that pests or at least think how they might enter the house or shed. While we might need a door, they can find access through a hole.

tips

tips

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suiWKtQ97zs[/embedyt]

Termite

Comments Off on Termite

The Dreaded Termite – the House Eater

termite

Termite

5 billion in damages yearly throughout the U.S. with most of that damage occurring on the East Coast. The highest infestation of subterranean termites is really found in the Southeast, including Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. Therefore the highest levels of damage probably occur in those states. Since we build houses right on top of termite colonies, we afford them the options to go straight into our homes. Then to make matters worse we use wood to build those homes and businesses. So what can you do to prevent termites?

  • Don’t allow wood to ground.
  • Don’t overwater, and don’t allow wood to get wet.
  • Keep an eye on areas of penetration of concrete slab, such as bath-traps and plumbing.
  • If you see anything that appears to be dirt on wall in form of tubes call a Pest Management Professional, like ProBest Pest Management 480-831-9328.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrWvtlAxiE4[/embedyt]

Termites and your toilet – Ohhh what a crappy problem

Comments Off on Termites and your toilet – Ohhh what a crappy problem

Any toilet or pipe penetration in the slab will do

Toilet pipes lead the way in. Pardon the pun. Any penetration in your concrete slab allows that tiny chance that the termites may make their way into your home. Typically not usual but it does happen. This goes for any crack in the slab, have you noticed tile or carpet buckling, it may be a crack. If you replace carpet or linoleum and you see a crack have it treated before putting down new tile. I hate to see drill holes when it was preventable. So if you see something like this, give ProBest Pest Management a call at 480-831-9328.

toilet IMG_4629IMG_4626IMG_4630IMG_4631

 

Storage Firewood

Comments Off on Storage Firewood

Storage Firewood

The correct way to store firewood, keep it high and dry and away from the pests. This keeps the air circulation around the firewood and allows the firewood to dry and age correctly. At the same time it prevents pests from coming straight up the ground into the wood,. Still have to be careful and rodents and other critters may still be able to hide within the spaces of the wood. Be especially careful of Black Widow spiders, and always wear gloves when moving firewood. This simple device below is ideal, it keeps the firewood dry and off the ground, you can also put a tarp over it. I also like the cement pads. You may get other pests like wasps or spiders but as I mentioned use gloves and check things out before you begin to move the wood.

Bring in only what you need and don’t store it inside. I have seen Powder Post Beetles come out of the wood, stored in the winter inside when it became wood enough to let them think it was summer.

Storage Firewood 20151217_130254

Active Arizona Termites

Comments Off on Active Arizona Termites

Active Arizona Termites

Our Active Arizona Termites like water and there generally isn’t a lot of it for them.  So after it starts raining they get a little more active. So keep a sharp look out for them. Arizona termites are sneaky. They often follow lines such as this metal bracket or they will follow concrete lines and or pipes. So what should you look for?

  1. Wood to ground, this gives termites a free pass into your home.
  2. Excessive moisture, don’t water to near the foundation of the house. Check drip irrigation and only water was is necessary for the plant if possible. In Arizona we often use flood irrigation, so be careful you are not interfering with the termiticide along the foundation of the home.
  3. Don’t store firewood or wood on the ground.
  4. Look for visible signs of termites, mud tubes, tunnels and/or drop tubes and damage.
  5. Garages are a noted area, so keep a watch for termite tubes coming up the foundation or in the expansion joint.
  6. Sometimes  you might see little spots of dirt, check it and if it continues to grow get a pest professional to take a look. Our Arizona termites make some funky little drop tubes, it’s their way of trying to get back to the ground.

 

Active Arizona Termites  20151209_085004

 

OK what do you see?

Comments Off on OK what do you see?

Well if you guessed Drywood termites pellets, you guessed right? Those little brownish colored things at the bottom of the picture are the fecal remains of wood eaten by Drywood termites. Subterranean termites mix their fecal material with the mud/soil and construct mud tunnels or tubes while Drywood termite fecal pellets are kicked out of their colony. These little pellets have little ridges and are fairly easy to identify. Drywood termites which are located within structures are often tented and just a side-note not usually a very big deal in Arizona but we do have them here. The more water we bring in, such as flood or drip irrigation helps to increase the humidity level and allow these termites to gain a strong-hold here. Even after a fumigation takes place, those pellets will continue to fall out – so the only real way to know that you still have them is by an actual swarm. Just one more thing to keep you from sleeping!

By the way this is generally not a “Do It Yourself” project, unless you are able to remove all the wood. In the case above it was a small shed, which I would just remove and rebuild. Which by the way falls into my model of IPM.

 

Termites and pictures

Comments Off on Termites and pictures

2014-06-26 09.10.10

 

 

 

 

So the termites found their way into your home via the foundation slab wall and you didn’t notice them them. But one day you noticed a smudge on the nicely framed picture hanging on the wall. So you thought it was weird so you investigated and look what you found?

Yep termites! It’s time to call a Professional. Enter your zip code or better yet if your in AZ call ProBest Pest Management at 480-831-9328

 

What is a pretreat and why do I see termites in garages more often?

Comments Off on What is a pretreat and why do I see termites in garages more often?

probestpestmanagement20150216_101607

A pretreat is done just before the pouring of concrete and is designed to prevent termites from coming up penetrations of the slab of concrete. Post construction treatment is done after a home is built.

I often see termites in garages and have been intrigued as to why they occur in those circumstances rather than inside homes. I have watched homes being built and I think I see the garages being worked on last. Sometimes the concrete is poured in the home and the garage is poured last. I also seem to remember that the pretreat originally was done on the home part and wasn’t redone or even done for the garage. Now I may be wrong but I have seen that and I think this is why I see more issues within the garages rather than inside the home.

Why a little fungus can cause serious issues?

Comments Off on Why a little fungus can cause serious issues?

probestpest20150216_100044

Water will find the path of least resistance and often times can cause more and more issues with a home. Let’s imagine that a chimney at the roofline is not sealed correctly and water makes it way to the ground. This water goes through the termiticide and eventually the termiticide is completely gone. The termites gain access into your home and more damage continues. So I would say that this is something we all need to consider when doing a quarterly inspection of our homes.

If you spot a water issue, figure it out and repair it ASAP or if you don’t want to just keep my phone number handy for the termite work that may be coming your way – 480-831-9328.

Contact Us