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Termites are easily one of the most feared insects among property owners. When you look at all the potential danger they pose, it is easy to understand why this is the case. These pests are responsible for a reported $2 billion of damage annually in the United States alone. This number could easily be doubled when you combine it with reported damage in other countries. Fear them they might, but people certainly don’t know everything they need to about the termite. While you can always call a pest management professional like us to handle your problems, it does pay to be well informed when it comes to the termite. After all, how are you going to know your home is infested if you don’t know what to look for? Do you think you’ll just get lucky and find the insect lounging about in your backyard? How would you even know you were looking at a termite?
This is just a bit of what you need to know. You do not want to wait until you think you have a problem to start acting proactively. You want to have a good preventive plan in place. This is something we can help with as well. However, you need to start with understand how these insects live and operate. Each colony contains different castes of members. These members are responsible for different roles.
The Queen Termite
The queen termite, much like the queen bee, is the largest member of the colony. She can grow to be almost 4 inches in length. She gets so big that if she must be relocated, it will take hundreds of worker termites working together to move her. Her main role is to reproduce and grow the colony. She can live to be 10 years old and possess the ability to lay nearly 30,000 in a day. That’s right, in a single day, not a lifetime. Pretty extraordinary when all things are considered.
The King Termite
It doesn’t take a genius to figure that the king’s main role is to serve his queen. And that’s what he does. The king’s main role is to assist his queen in any way possible. He’ll help with the reproduction and growth of the colony.
Worker Termites
You thought the ant was a hard worker. You haven’t seen anything yet. These worker termites go at it 24/7, 365. There is no stopping for them. They are soft-bodied, light in color, and wingless, but are devoted, dedicated workers. With a body length of 10 millimeters, these guys might not look like much, be when working together, these guys can accomplish a lot. Their main roles are to build and maintain tunneling systems leading in and out of the colony, foraging for food, feeding other members, and grooming other members.
Soldier Termites
Here is another obvious one. The soldier termite is solely responsible for the defense of the colony. These guys are usually white, soft-bodied, and wingless, but they have long heads equipped with two powerful jaws that they can utilize like mandibles in a confrontation.
Winged Reproductive Members
When termites build their initial colonies, they build them underground about 300 to 400 feet from the home. These underground colonies can only grow so large and once they reach maximum size, it is the responsibility of the winged reproductive members to fly off and start new colonies. They’ll fly off, make new colonies, mate, and reproduce, and grow that new colony until it reaches maximum size. While there is usually just one king or queen, there are hundreds of these guys. They are the only members of the colony to develop wings and it is for the sole purpose of flying off and forming new colonies.
Know The Termites In Your Area
There are over 2,000 known species of termites in the United States. While this might sound scary, it is only the Subterranean termite that needs to be feared. These guys are the ones that do the property damage. It is this species alone that is responsible for the reported $2 billion yearly. The roles of each of these members will depend on their specific roles within the colony. For instance, the Subterranean worker termite will be responsible for basic worker termite roles, whereas the soldier Subterranean termite will be responsible for guarding and defending the colony.
Differentiating Between The Flying Termite And Flying Ant
With some research, you’ll discover that people are oftentimes confusing the flying ant with the flying termite. This probably is because the pests are very similar. They not only look alike, but they possess similar habits and mentalities. However, when it comes to potential damage and elimination of the insects, the two couldn’t be different. The termite is the more destructive and eliminating it will require a much different approach. Therefore, it is key to know which insect you are dealing with. This will only help with choosing the best elimination methods.
Both insects have front wings and back wings. That’s a total of four wings per insect. The difference between the two is that the ant’s front pair is longer than the back pair. In addition to this, these wings are extremely durable and not broken off. The flying termite’s front and back wings are the same sizes, but they can easily be snapped off or damaged.
The flying ant has a waist that is narrow and pinched, whereas the flying termite’s waist is thick and less defined. Both do have antennae, but it is the flying ants that are elbowed. The flying termites’ antennae are straight.
Are Termites Dangerous?
You’ll quickly discover that there have never been reported cases where termites have bitten people. In addition to this, they are not known for carrying or spreading diseases. However, this does not mean they aren’t dangerous. While they don’t pose a direct threat, they can damage a building to the point where it might collapse on you. As far as physical threats go, that’s it for the termite. It should be noted that they can also cause mental anguish, as some people become so worried about the damage, they can do it overwhelms their entire lives.
Is It Possible To Eliminate Termites Myself?
With the rigors and costs of pest management these days, it is only natural for one to consider DIY pest management options. As a professional exterminator, I’ll be the first to tell you that termite management can be expensive. However, because of the complexities of the insect, you are much better off with a professional. As was mentioned, these insects build their colonies 300 to 400 feet away from the property with hundreds of tunnelways.
Just missing one tunnel or one insect and the colony will go on to survive. Failing to eliminate the insects on the initial treatment could only potentially further spread the infestation to other parts of the property. While there are over-the-counter chemicals and pesticides specifically designed for dealing with these pests, they aren’t as effective. This is because only a licensed professional can handle and distribute the chemicals needed to effectively kill these insects.
Anyone handling these chemicals with a proper EPA license is doing so illegally! Even though over-the-counter chemicals aren’t as effective, they are still dangerous, so there is always the potential for physical damage and property damage. Such chemicals are even more dangerous in untrained hands. Therefore, termite elimination is a job better left to someone with experience in the matter.
When Can you Get Here?
Our office not only handles termites, but we handle various infestations and pest problems. Combine this with the fact that we are willing to adapt and compromise with our customers and you’ll see why we have become one of the premier pest management professionals in the area. All in all, we stay busy all times of the year but are willing to jump on your problems as soon as we can. All you must do is give our office a call and we’ll have someone out to your property within the next 24 to 48 hours. We do, however, have emergency services available for those that need them.
Why Hire Us!
We are one of the top pest control companies in the United States. We have been serving American consumers and businesses for several decades. Our service is by far highly recommended by our peers, government officials, community members, and businesses. There is no doubt, pests are some of the most intrusive living creatures, which is how our highly rated pest control service comes into play.
Why Philadelphia Resident Choose Our Termite Control & Removal Services
Termites are without a doubt one of the most feared insects in the state of Philadelphia. In their own right they should be, as they are causing homeowners billions of dollars of damage each and every year. When you combine this with the fact that the number of infestations is on the rise in the Philadelphia area, you are truly looking at one big nightmare. So, why are more and more Philadelphia residents coming to us for their termite control and removal needs?
We Can Stop The Problem Before It Starts
There is no better way to deal with termites than by stopping them before they start. And, that is exactly what we can do for you. Our techs can come out to your home, evaluate it, and pretreat your wood with special chemicals. These chemicals will repeal termites and stop the infestation before it even starts. While our techs are at the home they will also evaluate certain conditions and give you other pointers as to how you can prevent termites. We strive to educate the customer to ensure that they never deal with an infestation.
Offering Free Quotes
Do you fear that you are dealing with termites? Do you want to try our preventive measures? Whatever the situation is, you can give us a call and we can give you a quick quote right over the phone. If you do suspect that you are dealing with termites we can send out an inspector to the home right away. If termites are present we can quote you right there on the spot for treatment.
What Else We Offer
Our team prides itself on being the best of the bet. We strongly believe that we deserve that title. We are friendly, courteous and always ready to work hard for our clients.
- We have a proper license and insurance
- Our techs are all highly qualified
- We are backed with years of experience
- Our company is actually locally owned and operated
- We do our best to support the local Philadelphia community
- We stop the problem before it starts
- Our prices are reasonable compared to the competition
Hurry And Ring Us
We are equipped with a uniquely trained staff that possesses the skills to handle any type of termite situation. All you have to do is give us a call and we will handle your termite needs as quickly as possible. Call any time of the day or night, as we always have someone standing by ready to help.
If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.
Our Service Area
Zionhill, Zieglerville, Wynnewood, Wyncote, Wycombe, Woxall, Worcester, Woodlyn, Willow Grove, West Point, Wayne, Washington Crossing, Warrington, Warminster, Wallingford, Villanova, Upper Darby, Upper Black Eddy, Tylersport, Trumbauersville, Thornton, Telford, Swarthmore, Sumneytown, Springtown, Springfield, Spring Mount, Spring House, Spinnerstown, Southampton, Souderton, Solebury, Skippack, Silverdale, Sharon Hill, Sellersville, Schwenksville, Sassamansville, Salfordville, Salford, Rushland, Royersford, Riegelsville, Ridley Park, Richlandtown, Richboro, Revere, Red Hill, Quakertown, Prospect Park, Pottstown, Point Pleasant, Plymouth Meeting, Plumsteadville, Pipersville, Pineville, Perkiomenville, Perkasie, Pennsburg, Penns Park, Palm, Ottsville, Oreland, Oaks, Norwood, North Wales, Norristown, Newtown Square, Newtown, New Hope, Narberth, Morton, Morrisville, Montgomeryville, Mont Clare, Milford Square, Merion Station, Media, Mechanicsville, Marcus Hook, Mainland, Lumberville, Line Lexington, Levittown, Lenni, Lederach, Lansdowne, Lansdale, Langhorne, Lahaska, Lafayette Hill, Kulpsville, Kintnersville, King Of Prussia, Jenkintown, Jamison, Huntingdon Valley, Horsham, Holmes, Holicong, Hilltown, Havertown, Haverford, Hatfield, Hatboro, Harleysville, Gwynedd Valley, Gwynedd, Green Lane, Glenside, Glenolden, Glen Riddle Lima, Glen Mills, Gladwyne, Gilbertsville, Garnet Valley, Furlong, Frederick, Franconia, Fountainville, Fort Washington, Forest Grove, Folsom, Folcroft, Flourtown, Ferndale, Feasterville Trevose, Fairview Village, Fairless Hills, Essington, Erwinna, Elkins Park, Edgemont, East Greenville, Eagleville, Durham, Dublin, Drexel Hill, Dresher, Doylestown, Darby, Danboro, Crum Lynne, Croydon, Creamery, Conshohocken, Concordville, Colmar, Collegeville, Clifton Heights, Cheyney, Chester Heights, Chester, Cheltenham, Chalfont, Chadds Ford, Cedars, Carversville, Buckingham, Bryn Mawr, Bryn Athyn, Broomall, Brookhaven, Bristol, Bridgeport, Blue Bell, Blooming Glen, Bensalem, Bedminster, Bala Cynwyd, Audubon, Aston, Ardmore, Ambler, Abington Township.
Zip Codes We Service
19067, 19058, 19057, 19056, 19055, 19054, 19053, 19049, 19048, 19047, 19030, 19021, 19020, 19007, 18991, 18981, 18980, 18977, 18976, 18974, 18972, 18970, 18968, 18966, 18963, 18962, 18960, 18956, 18955, 18954, 18953, 18951, 18950, 18949, 18947, 18946, 18944, 18943, 18942, 18940, 18938, 18935, 18934, 18933, 18932, 18931, 18930, 18929, 18928, 18927, 18926, 18925, 18923, 18922, 18921, 18920, 18917, 18916, 18914, 18913, 18912, 18911, 18910, 18902, 18901, 18081, 18077, 18039, 19340, 19339, 19098, 19091, 19089, 19088, 19080, 19331, 19065, 19052, 19039, 19037, 19028, 19017, 19016, 19382, 19373, 19342, 19319, 19317, 19312, 19153, 19113, 19094, 19087, 19086, 19085, 19083, 19082, 19081, 19079, 19078, 19076, 19074, 19073, 19070, 19064, 19063, 19061, 19060, 19050, 19043, 19036, 19033, 19032, 19029, 19026, 19023, 19022, 19018, 19015, 19014, 19013, 19010, 19008, 19525, 19492, 19490, 19486, 19485, 19484, 19483, 19478, 19477, 19474, 19473, 19472, 19468, 19464, 19462, 19456, 19455, 19454, 19453, 19451, 19450, 19446, 19444, 19443, 19441, 19440, 19438, 19437, 19436, 19435, 19430, 19429, 19428, 19426, 19424, 19423, 19422, 19420, 19415, 19409, 19408, 19407, 19406, 19405, 19404, 19403, 19401, 19096, 19095, 19090, 19075, 19072, 19066, 19046, 19044, 19041, 19040, 19038, 19035, 19034, 19031, 19027, 19025, 19012, 19009, 19006, 19004, 19003, 19002, 19001, 18979, 18971, 18969, 18964, 18958, 18957, 18936, 18924, 18918, 18915, 18084, 18076, 18074, 18073, 18070, 18054, 18041.