Termites Be Gone: Proven Techniques for Successful Termite Control In Jacksonville

Termites are a big problem in the United States, costing property owners over $5 billion annually. The reason they do so much damage is that they're often not caught early. Why is this the case? It's simple, really. Termites are sneaky. You can have a million termites in your Jacksonville yard and home without realizing it. Join us today as we share some reasons why you're not likely to see termites and how termite problems often go from bad to worse. We'll show you how you can work to prevent a termite infestation and tell you about the absolute best way to get rid of termites and prevent termite damage. Remember that help is only a phone call away. Wildlife and Pest Control Experts provides trusted termite pest control in Jacksonville and WDO inspections. We know what is required to protect your property against termite damage.

The Anatomy Of Termites: Understanding Their Behavior And Habits

Why are termites so sneaky and why is it hard to find signs of termite damage? It has to do with how termites behave. Termite workers are born in utter darkness. That may sound terrifying to you, but, to a termite worker, that is exactly how they like it. They have the opposite fear—if it can be called a fear. Termites avoid light. They don't even like the reflected light that shines from the moon. Therefore, the evidence of termites in Jacksonville is often hidden. Here are some examples.

• Termites aren't going to crawl on the ground or on your walls where you can see them. They're going to hide in tunnels under the ground or within the wood of your home.
• Termites aren't going to create damage you can see because they would have to tolerate the light while damaging wood where you can easily see the damage. An exception to this is a dark space underneath a deck where the light is blocked. If termites are in a dark and shielded space that is high in humidity, they may create damage that you can see. But you'll have to crawl under your deck with a flashlight to see that damage.
• Subterranean termites create mud tubes to go from the soil to above-ground sources of wood. They may construct a tube on your foundation wall, but guess where they'll make that tube? That's right. They'll do it under your deck, in a crawl space, or in some other concealed space. 

In a termite colony, there is another kind of termite that doesn't mind the light. They're actually attracted to it. They're called swarmers because they gather together in a swarm. They are an obvious warning sign of an infestation. Unfortunately, it is a warning sign you're not likely to see.

• A termite swarmer is about ? of an inch in length. If you see one little swarmer by itself, you may not take notice.
• Termite swarmers have a job to do, and they do it quickly. A swarm will gather and dissipate in less than an hour.   
• Termites are attracted to concealed locations because they intend to establish new nests in places that are appropriate for their offspring, namely those worker termites. So they commonly get underneath decks, patios, porches, stairs, sheds, and other exterior structures.
• A termite colony doesn't produce swarmers immediately. It takes years. That means a termite colony can feed on your home for years before you get a chance to see the warning sign of a termite swarm. 

We don't recommend waiting to see warning signs of a termite infestation. The best way to address the threat of termite damage is to apply proactive termite control and prevention. Not only are termites sneaky, they also present a problem that will go from bad to worse. Let's look at why this is the case.

From Bad To Worse: How Termite Damage Can Escalate Quickly

There are many ways you may catch a glimpse of termites. You may pick up a broken branch in your yard and find termite workers crawling around on the underside. You may dig up your landscaping and find termite workers crawling in the soil. You may see a tiny, white-winged termite land on your skin. When you detect termites, should it concern you? Here are a few facts about how termites spread.

• Termites don't pass through your yard; they encroach. What we mean is that termites create a nest, send out reproductives, and create more nests. They don't set out in search of a home and pass through several yards until they find the right one.
• When termite workers come into your yard, they feed on every available source of food. The colony that sent them will grow in response to the amount of food found and the termite pressures in your yard will increase with the amount of food you provide. 
• A termite colony can have hundreds of thousands of workers. Each of those workers won't do a lot of damage on its own, but the colony as a whole can take quite a bite out of your home.
• Worker termites travel much more than fifty yards to collect food. As new nests are created, all of the nests can feed on your home at the same time, meaning you can have more than a million termites nibbling on your property.

Long before you see signs of active termites on your property, you should consider taking steps to guard your property investment. A termite infestation can occur at any time and will only grow as termites feed on your property. Let's look at a few ways you can deter termites and prevent damage.

Prevention Is Key: Protecting Your Home From Termites

How do you stop sneaky and persistent termites? There are a few building blocks to an effective termite prevention plan. Some of these are steps you can take yourself. Some are best applied by a licensed pest professional.  

• Remove the food. Termites are primarily looking for wood. They can feed on a source of wood in your yard as they feed on the wood of your home at the same time. Address stumps, remove logs, replace wooden landscape borders, replace wooden flower pots with pots of another material, etc. 
• Guard the food. You can't remove all of the termite food in your yard. In some instances, you'll need to guard the food. You may need to store campfire wood on a rubber mat or some other material that termites can't chew through. You may need to temporarily store dead tree branches in a container, rather than in a pile on the ground. You may need to pick up a junk pile and store it in a bin. Why? Termites eat paper, cardboard, clothing, and other things that have cellulose in them. They don't only eat wood.
• Address any wood-to-ground contact. These are points where the wood of your home or other structure touches the ground. You may replace wood skirting. You may put a wooden shed on a concrete foundation. You may pull the posts of your deck out of the ground and put them on small foundations.
• Perform routine inspections. Look for mud tubes, swarmers, shed wings, worker termites, or termite damage. If you want a professional inspection, keep in mind that we offer annual inspections.
• Install termite control products. There are many products available. They vary in efficacy and are a challenge to install. For the best results, let a certified termite control technician apply professional-grade products according to manufacturers' guidelines.

There are many ways you can guard your property, but for termite prevention you can trust, and termite control for a current infestation, it is best to contact a termite specialist near you. If you're in the Jacksonville area, Wildlife and Pest Control Experts is a great choice.

Say Goodbye to Termites! Call Our Expert Team Today

The last thing you need is a termite colony on your Jacksonville property. We offer two options to help you avoid termite damage. We can provide a termite inspection when needed and give you a WDO report, or we can install a professional termite bait solution. The product we install will sit in ground stations and provide a desirable food source for termites. When termites take the bait, they will share the active ingredient with the other termites in their colony. The result is termite colony elimination. Along with ongoing and active protection against termite damage, these bait stations provide easy detection. Your technician will check them routinely, maintain appropriate baits to address the termite pressures detected, and let you know when your termite defense has stopped termites in their tracks. That last benefit cannot be understated. When you spend your hard-earned money on termite control, it is rewarding to know when your investment has paid off. When you get a liquid termiticide treatment, you don't get this feedback. And it is easy to give up on termite control when you don't understand just how important it is. 

If you want to get started with termite control in Jacksonville, jump to our contact page and connect with us. We look forward to guiding you in finding the right solution for your home and budget.