Why Maryland Termites Are Still Active in Late Fall and Winter

11/20/2018

Termites   

In Maryland, the termites we deal with the most are Eastern subterranean termites and, as their name implies, these termites live underground. As subterranean dwellers, they are shielded from the cold air and dropping temperatures of the fall and are able to continue their feeding activities into the winter months. And under the right conditions, these termites can remain active all winter long!
 
Though termites are most active in the spring and summer, homeowners should be on guard all year to prevent termite damage. Subterranean termites are destructive pests that can create serious issues for homeowners if they invade. But detecting termites is no easy task. Not only do they dwell underground, but they also travel inside the wood they feed on. So if termites are feeding on the wood of your home, you aren't likely to see them unless you're renovating your home. Fortunately, there are some other ways that subterranean termites may give themselves away. Here are a few of them:
 
Shelter tubes. Worker termites have an aversion to light and dry air. For this reason, they will create mud tubes to travel back and forth from the soil around the perimeter of your foundation to the wood of your home. When they do, you may be able to use these mud tubes to detect their presence. But due to their aversion to light, these termite workers typically create their mud tubes in areas that aren’t easily visible, if they’re visible at all.
Exterior damage. Before termites get into your home, they are likely to feed on wooden objects in your yard. One source of wood that is attractive to termites is stumps. If you have stumps in your yard, cut into them to see if there is any termite activity inside. With this, keep in mind that termites feeding on the stumps in your yard are also likely feeding on your home as well as they don't focus on just one food source.

Swarmers. If you're standing in your yard and spot tiny black insect with long white wings, it is vital that you recognize it as a termite swarmer. That might be the only sign you get to alert you that your home has been infested! And termite swarms don't last long. A swarm can develop and dissipate in the time it takes you to go to the store, buy your groceries, and return home. So it’s possible that you’ll never see these swarmers at all. If you're fortunate to see multiple swarmers crawling around on the outside of your home, be aware that this is a warning sign of a current, mature infestation, not an impending invasion.

Wings. Since termite swarms don't last long, you may only see the aftermath of these swarms: the shed wings of swarmers. Inside a home, these wings can often be found on window ledges because, unlike termite workers, termite swarmers are attracted to light. Outside, the shed wings of termite swarmers are likely to be found in moist, shaded areas or near sources of wood.

Interior damage. When termites feed on a home, they can sometimes give themselves away by tunneling all the way to the edge of the wall, causing paint or wallpaper to bubble.

Termites are sneaky. In fact, they are so elusive that they have earned themselves the name “silent destroyers”. And the warning signs that these destructive pests leave behind are usually subtle and hard to spot without the proper training. For these reasons and more, the best solution when dealing with these sneaky termites is professional termite monitoring! At American Pest, we offer termite monitoring with our Preferred Care Plus Pest Control Plan. This plan protects Maryland homes from many of the common pest threats we deal with including rodents, spiders, wasps, ants, and more. And while we're working to keep those common pests out, we also install Halo™ termite monitoring devices to keep an eye out for termite activity!

We also offer the Sentricon® System with Always Active™ which acts as a monitoring system as well as a colony-elimination system! This system works 24/7, 365 days a year to detect and eliminate attacking colonies. Each bait station contains enough active ingredient to eliminate most subterranean colonies. If a large termite colony or more than one termite colony is attacking your home, no problem. Stronger cartridges can be installed in the Sentricon® with Always Active™ bait stations to ensure the threat is eliminated.

Don't wait until you see signs of subterranean termite activity to take action against these destructive pests. Those termites may not ever give you a sign. And don't wait until spring to invest in termite protection. Termites can damage your home any time of year, even in the fall or winter. Get your termite control in place right now and stop those termites in their tracks!

If you have any question feel free to reach out to us at American Pest or get started by scheduling a free estimate. We'll send a licensed and experienced termite control professional right to your front door. It's as simple as that!