ROANOKE RAPIDS AND LAKE GASTON'S #1 TERMITE PREVENTION COMPANY

Termites cause over 5 billion dollars’ worth of damage each year and another 2.2 billion is spent on the control of them each year. The will invade any structure and your best defense is quality prevention. Our area’s most common found termite is the eastern subterranean termite.

For many homeowners, the first sign of termite infestation is a swarm of flying insects. Not all swarming insects are termites, some are flying ants. There are a few physical characteristics that determine if what you see is a termite or ant.

Winged termites have four equal length wings, straight antenna, and a broad waist.  Termite Picture

Winged ants have unequal wing lengths, elbowed antenna, and a pinched waist.

Typically, most subterranean termites swarm in the spring or summer. Termites are social insects that live in colonies with caste systems, which means termites are organized into different social classes based on their roles and responsibilities. The three levels or their caste system are reproductives, workers, and soldiers. The only purpose of the swarmers (reproductives) is to reproduce and start new colonies, they cause no structural damage.

Signs of termite presence

• Small holes in wood
• Crumbling drywall or indentations in drywall (the termites have eaten the paper off the drywall)
• Sagging doors and floors
• Mud tubes in any location that are in contact with the ground
• Shed wings

Ways to reduce conditions that harbor and attract termites

• Remove all leaf clutter near structure and in gutters
• Remove earth-wood contact
• Direct sprinklers away from structure
• Do not stack or store wood next to structures
• Reduce moisture content in crawlspaces
• Repair all leaks inside and outside of structures
• Make sure all water is graded away from structure
• Make sure form boards are at least 4 inches from ground

Call BugLink at 252-519-0900 today for your free termite inspection. Remember prevention is key!