What To Do If You Suspect There Is A Termite Infestation In Your Home?

In Elkton, termites are a year-round problem. In this area, you are most likely to find subterranean termites around your home. These termites are highly invasive and destructive. 

If you think that there may be termites around your home, it is vital that you get the help of an experienced pest control specialist as soon as possible. At Abracadabra Pest Solutions, we are a locally-owned company that knows what to look for when determining whether or not you have termites. We can help you to identify, eliminate, and prevent a termite infestation on your property. 

Easy-To-Spot Signs Of Termites

Seeing termites crawl around your home or on a wooden structure is a great indicator that you have a termite infestation. However, the termites that live in this area are not always easy to see. Often, they are so embedded inside the wood they stay out of sight. Some termites will live underground and travel from their home to your home by crawling through elaborate mud tubes. 

If you aren't sure if the bugs you are seeing are termites, there are a few clues that you can watch out for to determine whether or not termites are on your property. Some of the most common signs of an infestation include the following:

• Slender and long mud tubes plastered to the exterior wall of your home

• Dark spots or blisters on wooden surfaces

• Soft or brittle wood

• Wood that sounds hollow when you knock on it

• Termite feces, called frass that looks like small piles of sawdust

Termites are social insects. The reproductive members in a colony have wings and are able to fly. These winged termites, called swarmers, will usually leave the nest during the spring to go and find a mate and a location to build a new colony. If you see these swarmers or find their discarded wings around your property, there is a good chance you already have a termite infestation nearby. 

How Termite Infestations Start

Termite swarmers leave the nest, mate, shed their wings, and begin new nearby colonies. If your home offers a reliable source of food and shelter, it's likely termites will be drawn to it, but they also seek out downed trees, stacked lumber, and other sources of wood. The problem with termites nesting near your home is that it makes them more likely to eventually move into your home, either with the next round of swarmers or worker termites foraging for new sources of food. Termite swarmers can enter homes from above ground, while other types of termites are more likely to enter through your foundation walls. Rather than traveling in the open, termites will build mud tubes to travel through. If you notice these tubes climbing the foundation or walls of your home, it's likely termites have already found their way inside. 

Do-It-Yourself Termite Control Is Less Than Effective

Termite control should be left to the professionals. Some common products on the market that promise to eliminate termites quickly can actually worsen the infestation. Applying ineffective products on a termite colony could cause them to retreat further into the wooden surface they are occupying. At first, you may think that the situation is better. In reality, the bugs went to a harder-to-reach place where they will continue reproducing and growing their colony. 

Contact The Professionals For The Best Termite Protection

If you see signs of termites on your property, give us a call immediately. Quick intervention is the key to a positive outcome when it comes to getting rid of termites. At Abracadabra Pest Solutions, we understand the importance of diligent termite treatment plans. As soon as you call us, we will go to work to eliminate all termites from your property for good.