More on How to Get Rid of Termites

The termites are a group of social insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy below). As truly social animals, they are termed eusocial along with the ants and some bees and wasps which are all placed in the separate order Hymenoptera. Termites mostly feed on dead plant material, generally in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung, and about 10% of the estimated 4,000 species (about 2,600 taxonomically known) are economically significant as pests that can cause serious structural damage to buildings, crops or plantation forests. Termites are major detrivores, particularly in the subtropical and tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and other plant matter is of considerable ecological importance.

As eusocial insects, termites live in colonies that, at maturity, number from several hundred to several million individuals. They are a prime example of decentralised, self-organised systems using swarm intelligence and use this cooperation to exploit food sources and environments that could not be available to any single insect acting alone. A typical colony contains nymphs (semi-mature young), workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals of both genders, sometimes containing several egg-laying queens.

APPEARANCE

Termites are similar to the flying ants they are about the same size. The difference is that the ant has a bent antennae and the termite has a straight antenna. The ants wings are uneven one is shorter than the other as for the termite they are equal in lengths. The ant has a thin abdomen and the termites have a straight abdomen. Lastly they differ in color, termites vary from pale to tan colors and the ants tend to be a lot darker.

SUBTERRANEAN TERMITE APPEARANCE:

Worker: wingless,light colored,1/8 inch long

Soldier: the head is elongated with mandibles.

Supplementary Reproductives: light colored with no wings or very short

Primary Reproductives:most often seen,winged, and darker than the other three castes These are also called "swarmers".

DRY WOOD TERMITE APPEARANCE:

These termites are larger (up to 1/2 inch long) than the Subterranean termite.

DIET: Their diet is wood and other cellulose material, such as paper, cardboard, etc.

TERMITE CONTROL

Baiting:
- How to Termite Baiting you will find the "how" of doing your own pest / termite control using Advance, Hex Pro or Firstline termite baits. The Advance and Hex Pro System have chitin inhibitors.

Chemical Use:
-Using chemicals in the soil to treat , doing your own pest and termite control using  Termidor SC,  Permethrin Termite Chemical 36% (TenGard SFR) or  Cyper TC as your choice for treating termites.

The technology of non repellents such as Termidor SC (the generic form of Premise-Imidacloprid 21.4%-more economical) is an advancement over other termite insecticides that are only repellent barriers.

With "repellant" termiticides, any of the smallest gap in the treated soil can be detected and exploited by the termites to gain entry in the building. They will find ways around it. This is a major short-coming of the more traditional chemicals used for termite control.

Because Termidor SC is made up of a nonrepellents, they are undetectable by termites. The termites can't see, smell, taste or avoid Termidor SC. Doing your own termite work, in particular applying chemicals for termites, may not be for everybody.

• The Subterranean (Ground) Termite will have colonies in the ground, building vertical tunnels that look like mud tubes above ground level so that they can search for food.
• Subterranean (Ground) termites can form tunnels through cracks in concrete, so slab homes are not exempt from these termites.
  Subterranean termites will die if exposed to air for an extended period of time; tunnels are used for transporting the food to the nest and protecting themselves.
  Subterranean termites need to stay in contact with the soil in order to survive as opposed to the Drywood termites that only needs low moisture.
• Drywood termites are more prevalent in the coastal regions. These termites may be carried in furniture from one region to another. Drywood termites are found many times in the attic wood structure. Drywood termites are more prevalent in the coastal regions. They may be carried in furniture from one region to another. These termites are found many times in the attic wood structure.

SIGNS OF TERMITE INFESTATION MAY INCLUDE:

 Mud like tunnels, usually vertical, among the foundation of the interior or exterior walls.

 Termite wings.

"Swarmers" or flying termites appearing in the house, particulary near light sources.

Primary Reproductive: most often seen, winged, and darker than the other three castes These are also called "swarmers".

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