Marion & Citrus County 352 694-1977 Lake & Sumter County 352 360-0677
TERMITE CONTROL
Termite control is vital in the state of Florida. It is far more desirable to have a preventive treatment as opposed to a corrective one. In other words, don’t wait until your home or business sustains termite damage before taking action. Subterranean termites are not the only species that threatens our state. The invasive Formosan termite continues to spread throughout Florida. Service calls for these super destructive insects are on the rise.
The best termite treatment
Termidor remains king of the termiticide industry. We use Termidor termiticide exclusively for all our post-construction treatments. This is because Termidor continues to perform as the industry’s top product when it comes to complete termite eradication. Termidor is the only termiticide that you should consider using when protecting your home or business. This includes both preventative treatments, or corrective ones when termite damage is present.
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The University of Florida entomology department recommends that all structures in Florida be inspected for termite activity once every year. Our subterranean termite program includes annual inspections. We also offer WDO (wood destroying organisms) inspections and reports for both residential and commercial sales.
FAQS
Can termites still invade a structure on a treeless property?
The short answer is yes, they can. Here’s the simple reason – termite swarmers. Termite swarmers are the winged reproductives of termites. When they decide conditions are suitable to swarm, which is usually during the wintertime after rain, these winged termites fly off in search of new colonies to create. If a termite swarmer happens to fly into a neighborhood without trees, it’s all the more reason for them to infest your home since they have nothing else to feed on.
When winged termites are in flight they can end up anywhere. They don’t have ‘built-in’ sensor organs that lead them to the forest. The wind can also play a role in the direction they head. When the winged termite land, the next step is to set up a colony. They don’t simply ‘give up’ if they arrive on a lot that has no trees. Their survival instincts are much more powerful than that.
Are termites common in Florida?
Yes, they are. No structure in the state of Florida is immune to a termite infestation.
Does my house or business need preventive treatment?
Yes, any structure in the state of Florida needs a termite treatment.
What is a termite swarmer?
Simply put, a termite swarmer is the winged reproductive life stage of termites. Their sole purpose is to build new termite colonies.
Are they flying ants or termite swarmers?
Ants have segmented bodies while the termite’s body appears fused. Also, the antennas are a dead giveaway, the termites are straight while the ants are elbowed. Termite wings are also twice as long as their bodies. In my own personal experience, a termite swarmer infestation is much heavier and more dramatic than a group of flying ants.
How often do termite swarms occur?
Usually once as the year during the winter months, especially after a rain. This is, however, not set in stone and a termite colony can swarm any time of the year. Also, just because you’re not seeing evidence of termite swarmers in or around your home doesn’t mean that you are termite free. Colonies may go for many years without swarming.
How do termites enter my home?
Termites build shelter tubes up a foundation or across other surfaces to gain access to wood (cellulose) which is their food. Termites build these tubes out of particles of soil and their feces. They use these tubes to bring particles from their damp underground environment with them. They can’t live exposed to the outside elements for very long.
Any building, whether constructed with a slab, basement or crawl space foundation is targeted and in need of termite control. Termites can find their way into a structure through an opening as small as 1/32 of an inch and also enter through cracks, expansion joints, hollow bricks, or concrete blocks around the plumbing. One very important aspect of termite control is having a basic idea of construction and knowing where the termites are entering.
What termiticide(s) do you use on your termite treatments?
Meryl’s Termite and Pest Control uses Termidor 100% exclusively for all post and correct termite treatments. Conventional liquid treatment with the industries leading termiticide known as Termidor has been the most reliable method of treatment over the past decade.
By applying a liquid barrier of Termidor around the structure’s foundation or around the tiers of the crawl space, subterranean termites unknowingly cross over the non-repellent termiticide. Once they have come in contact with the product they spread it to the other termites which eventually reaches the queen. Once the queen dies,100% termite control results. This treatment provides five years of protection against subterranean termite infestations.
Is a structure is safe from termites when built from steel support beams, block, or brick instead of wood?
No, no structure in the state of Florida is completely safe from termites. Even though a structure has steel support beams or is made from block or brick, there is still wood along the baseboard from the inside of the structure. The beams that support the attic are still often made of wood. As we all know, the roof is one of the most important parts of any structure.
Besides getting a termite treatment, what can I do as a homeowner to protect my house from termites?
Here are steps a homeowner can take in protecting their home from subterranean termite infestations.
- Make sure your home is inspected by a professional for termites once a year.
- Fix any leaking plumbing
- Use stone around your house instead of mulch or wood chips
- Position condensation from air conditioning units to flow well away from the foundation of the structure.
- Be sure water from gutters is flowing well away from the foundation of the house and do the same for garden hoses.
- Never store firewood up against the foundation of the structure.
Do you use bait stations?
No, we do not. The reason is that they simply have too many faults and can produce a false sense of security. Treating a structure with Termidor offers a higher rate of success.