Have you noticed little winged insects in your home? Are there piles of sawdust-like material in your basement or near windows? If so, you may have Formosan subterranean termites infesting your property. These termites are known to inflict major structural damage to Texas properties if they’re not treated quickly. Below, we have some tips to make your property less susceptible to termites but if they’re already present on your property, it’s imperative that you contact a pest control expert who can show you how to get rid of Formosan subterranean termite problems.
Read on to learn how to get rid of Formosan termites for good!
Identify the Infestation
Identifying a Formosan termite infestation is key to knowing how to get rid of them. Signs of an infestation include finding swarms of flying termites in your home, as well as mud tubes on walls and other structures around your property, or signs of tunneling in the wood. You may also find piles of wings near windows and doors, which indicates they’ve been swarming recently. It’s important to look for these signs and contact a professional if you suspect an infestation, as Formosan termites can cause extensive damage to structures in a short amount of time. If you’ve already identified an infestation, you should take steps to reduce humidity indoors, divert water away from your home’s foundation, and inspect and treat any wood in contact with the soil before attempting to treat the active infestation. Below we’ll talk more about these points.
Contact a Professional
Once you’ve spotted a Formosan termite infestation, it’s important to contact a professional for help as soon as possible. A pest management professional such as Stampede Pest Control will have the experience, knowledge, and tools to assess the extent of the infestation and provide quick and effective treatment solutions. They’ll also be able to tell you what methods of treatment are available to you and how effective they may be. They can also advise you on any preventative measures that you can take to reduce the chances of the termites returning to your home in the future.
Reduce Humidity Indoors
Reducing the humidity levels in your home is a key step in preventing a Formosan subterranean termite infestation. Since subterranean termites require moisture to survive, keeping the air in your home dry and well-ventilated helps to make your home less of a target for them. This is especially important for crawl spaces, attics, and basements, which are more prone to dampness.
Additionally, any wood-to-soil contact should be removed and inspected for signs of termite activity. Finally, if you live in an area like Texas where Formosan termites and drywood termites are active, it’s recommended that you install a chemical barrier treatment or bait system to provide an extra layer of protection against these pests and other subterranean termite species. The bait system will draw in any termite stragglers after the treatment and kill them before they can re-infest your home.
Divert Water Away from Home’s Foundation
To make sure Formosan termites stay away from your home, you need to divert water away from the foundation. To do this, you need to make sure your gutters, downspouts, and splash blocks are all functioning properly. This ensures that any water that accumulates outside the foundation is diverted away from the house and not allowed to soak into the ground around the foundation. Additionally, you should be wary of any areas around your foundation that are pooling and take the necessary steps to remove them.
Direct Treatment of an Active Infestation
Once the active infestation has been identified, treatment should be applied as soon as possible. Aerosol sprays work well for spot treatment of small areas, such as wooden structures that have been infested. For larger infestations, look into termiticide barriers, which involve applying a termiticide to the soil around the home’s foundation to create a barrier for termites. You can also opt for bait systems, which are placed strategically around your property to attract and kill termites. Finally, if you have trees located near your home, reach out to a professional to inspect and treat them. With these treatments in place, you’ll be able to keep your home safe from future infestations of Formosan subterranean termites.
Exclusion Measures for Prevention
Preventing Formosan infestations is important, and there are a few steps you can take to help. Regularly inspecting your home for signs of termites is a great first step. You should also seal any cracks or crevices in your foundation. Additionally, you should identify and correct any structural deficiencies that may attract or promote subterranean termite infestations. Ideally, all substructural wood beneath the building should be treated with an approved termiticide. Finally, you should consider investing in a WDO Pest Control contract to help protect your home from future infestations.
Soil Treatment or Bait System
Once you’ve identified the presence of termites and contacted a professional, the next step is to look at soil treatment or bait systems to eliminate the infestation. Soil treatment is one of the most common and effective methods for eliminating active infestations. This involves applying termiticides directly into drilled holes according to the product label. Termidor SC or Termidor Foam are both recommended for this task. It may take some time, but this chemical barrier creates a shield around your home that can protect it from future invasions. Alternatively, you may choose to opt for a termite baiting system which is also very effective. This method involves placing insecticide-laden food baits around your home to target and eliminate colonies of C. formosanus. The Sentricon bait system developed by Dr. Su is a great example of this approach and has been proven to be very successful in controlling termites.
Most termite companies will treat your property with a termiticide treatment to eliminate existing colonies and add an extra layer of bait systems for ongoing termite monitoring. This combination is highly effective for exterminating existing termites and preventing the recurrence of colonies in the future.
The Benefits of the Bait System
Bait systems offer a number of benefits for Formosan termite infestations. They are less labor-intensive to install and you are not actually putting a chemical into the environment. With bait systems, you can target termites more accurately and will have a better chance of killing the queen, thus eliminating the Formosan termite colony. Bait systems are also safer to use around children and pets since there is no direct contact with chemicals. Finally, bait systems can provide a long-term solution since they keep working even after they’ve been installed. With the help of a professional, you can choose the best option for your situation and make sure your home is protected against Formosan termites.
Treating Trees
Treating trees for Formosan termites can be a tricky task. But, when done properly, it can be effective in eliminating the infestation and preventing further damage. For example, liquid termiticide treatments can be used to treat termite colonies in trees. Additionally, since these termites are attracted to wood, reducing any wood that is in contact with the soil is an important exclusion measure. Furthermore, termite bait systems can also help reduce the population near trees.
Get a WDO Pest Control Contract
When it comes to getting rid of termites, the best way to ensure the protection of your home is to get a termite treatment contract. This should be done by a licensed pest management professional (PMP) and will include a detailed inspection and treatment of the infested areas. This contract will also provide coverage for any future infestations and will ensure that you are provided with the best possible service. To reduce your chances of an infestation, you should also reduce humidity indoors, divert water away from your home’s foundation, and inspect and treat any wood materials found in your home.
Inspect and Treat Wood
When it comes to treating Formosan termites, inspecting and treating the wood around your property is essential. It’s important to keep an eye out for signs of infestation, like mud tubes, damaged wood, or a termite swarm. If you see any signs of these pests, you should contact a professional pest management company to assess the situation. Once they have identified the infestation, they can begin treatment. Depending on the scope of the problem, this might involve spraying with chemicals or creating a chemical barrier in the soil. In addition, you can also reduce the chances of infestation by removing any wood in contact with the soil and spot-treating any painted or finished wood with drills and fill holes.
Chemical Barrier in the Soil
Using chemical barriers in the soil is a great way to protect your home from Formosan subterranean termites. Applying a professional product like Termidor SC or Termidor Foam directly into drilled holes according to the product label creates a chemical barrier that can repel termites and prevent infestations.
Contact The Experts
If you live in Dallas, Austin, Houston, or any of the surrounding areas in Texas, we have a high population of termites. Fortunately, the experts at Stampede Pest Control can help. Our team has the experience, tools, and knowledge to find termite colonies, eliminate them quickly and safely, and keep them from invading your property again in the future. Reach out to us today to schedule your termite inspection and get a free estimate.