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!
Photo by FMC
So just how much pressure is on your home, that question is important and many factors play into this equation.
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 602-249-7378
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:
This little termite mud tube popped up inside a kitchen cabinet, actually came up the inside crack from the stem wall of the home. Homeowner quickly spotted the activity and gave us a call to perform a termite treatment on their house.
Always be on the lookout for mud or dirt staining with your home, termites build mud tubes or tunnels on the outside foundation wall to gain access into the house.
Subterranean termites going up a small electrical wiring on the side of a home. I’m always amazed at how much they will go through to gain access into a structure. This is the time of the year to be on the lookout for termites here in Arizona.
Termites use these tunnels to gain access into your home both as a defense against ants and a way to keep moisture within their bodies. These tubes are often the first sign that you have termites.
Those termites will find any way into the house, sometimes it just works out that it is a pipe. Originally a pretreat was done and this should work for many years, if the pretreat was done correctly. So as you are doing your monthly inspection, it would be wise to check any pipe penetrations through your foundation slab. I actually found one swarmer (reproductive) or alate termite walking around inside the shower.
It’s monsoon season here in Arizona so termites are usually a little more active, so please check your home or give us a call at 602-249-7378 or 623-414-0176.
“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
fungus
Fungus – Not always something you see in Arizona, fungus growing on the side of a foundation slab of a house. If weather conditions exist then it is possible for fungi to grow and it only matters on location and the amount of water present.
So keep an eye on your property and if these conditions are present it is time to evaluate and access the how and the why?
