How to Tell if You Have Termites

Termites often swarm in warmer weather and after a rain shower to start new colonies. The swarming event can be brief, so even if you do not see flying termites, you are likely to see the discarded wings around window sills, doors, heating vents, bathtubs and sinks after a swarm takes place. Termite swarmers use their wings to move away from their original colony. Their wings break off and they pair up and find locations with a wood source where the male and female can begin a new colony. Whether you see the swarm or think there might have been one, call the Certified Sentricon Specialists of the Sentricon System at Arab Termite and Pest Control in Cincinnati, OH immediately.

Foraging worker termites, the ones that eat wood to feed the rest of the colony, must stay in moist conditions and away from natural enemies like ants. To get across barriers between the soil and the wood above, termites construct small, meandering “mud” tubes from moist soil and excrement. The tubes are about the diameter of a pencil, though they can become wider. Tubes can be seen on foundation walls or inside walls, on plumbing pipes and spanning crawl spaces between the ground and the subfloor. These termite highways are a sure sign termites are or have been in the home. The Sentricon System, with its patented Recruit termite bait and Baitube device, will get rid of the entire colony by having the workers deliver the bait directly to the queen. Call today to make an appointment with Arab Termite and Pest Control. 

Termites eat wood from the inside out along the grain, so damage often isn’t visible until it becomes significant. Termite inspectors often will tap to listen for hollow-sounding wall studs, baseboards and floors. If the wood gives way, it may reveal a hollowed-out honeycomb pattern. The wood also will include some “mud” similar to mud tubes, plus live termites. Formosan termites are an especially robust, destructive species with large colonies. Walls of infested buildings may contain carton nests that hold enough moisture to allow the colony to live entirely above ground, sometimes causing bulging walls. If you suspect you have termites, don't wait. Call Arab Termite and Pest Control immediately!

When building or remodeling in your home in the Cincinnati, OH area, keep an eye out for soft-bodied, light-colored insects about the size of a grain of rice. Termites avoid light, so they are seldom visible in open areas.

Swarming termites and ants look similar and are easily misidentified. The clearest way to distinguish them is to examine the wings. Termite swarmers have two sets of wings of equal length. The front pair of wings on a swarmer ant is longer than the back pair. There are other distinguishing characteristics: an ant’s waist is narrower than a termite’s. Ants also have a joint in their antenna, while termites do not. The biggest difference: ants are usually just a nuisance; termites damage your home.

Termites leave few clues of their arrival — until you can see their damage. Don’t make the costly mistake of assuming your home or business is termite-free. Have a professional inspection done by our Certified Sentricon Specialists of the Sentricon System, before it’s too late. 

Now that you know how to tell if you have termites, if you notice any of these signs, call Arab Termite and Pest Control in Cincinnati, OH right away. We use safe solutions that completely eliminate termite colonies without harming you or your family.