Termites | Oregon | Pest Control

Termites | Oregon | Washington

Are Termites a Pest Control Problem in the Northwest?

 

Termites are a problem infesting homes in the northwest.  Subterranean termites are common in Portland, Vancouver and Seattle.  We at Peak Pest Management LLC are trained to look for the signs of termite infestations.

 

Some facts about termites:

• Termites are a structural pest.  This means that they are a real threat to the structural integrity of a building because they digest and destroy wood.
• Termites are generally white- light brown.  Although termites are NOT ants, they are often refered to as "white ants."
• When there is a termite infestation present in a building, you may or may not notice the telltale signs of mud tubes depending on their location.
• Termites digest wood.  Unlike Carpenter Ants, who excavate wood to build nests and trails, termites actual food source is wood.

Some myths about termites:

• Although I am not able to pinpoint the source of this myth, there are people who believe that termites cannot survive in the northwest.  This myth is unfortunately not true, termites are alive and well and causing problems in the northwest and the rest of the united states.
• Termites and carpenter ants are one and the same.  Termites and carpenter ants are very different.  Although both are structural pests, they are completely different.  Termites are not an ant.  Biologically, termites and ants are very different.  One key difference is that termites eat wood and carpenter ants excavate.
• Termites have short lives.  A royal couple can live upwards of 50 years.  And a termite colony can grow to over one million individual termites.  Although, most worker termites do have much shorter lives than the queen and king.

Termite Treatments

If you suspect that you have a termite problem in your home or business, Peak Pest Management LLC has a custom, affordable pest control plan for you.  At Peak Pest Management we strive to have the latest research and information on effective treatments for termites and other pest control issues.  If you're having an issue with termites or other pests please feel free to give us a call.  Our service areas include Portland, OR, Vancouver, WA and Seattle, WA and surrounding areas.

 

 

Micah Wood

503-998-4322

360-607-1933

206-790-8285

micah@peak-pest-management.com

www.peak-pest-management.com

Termites-- Possible lifespan: Fun Fact Friday!

Termites are fun right?  Okay no, they are certainly not. But here is a fact that I ran across that I found very interesting.  Reproductive Female Termites may live up to 45-50 years! 50 YEARS!  Knowing this, it is no wonder that termite colonies can grow to include over a million individuals.  As a pest control professional I am constantly searching for information about the pests we encounter.  In that searching I came across some interesting information about one of the most dreaded wood destroying structural pests.

Not only do reproductive females live up to 50 years in favorable conditions, I also read that reproductive males can live up to 45 years.  Although the average lifespan for termites is 2-3 years, termites often live well beyond this predicted lifespan.  Termites are divided into three social castes.  Workers, which are responsible for building and maintaining the nest and feeding and grooming the other two castes; Soldiers which are responsible for defending the nest; and reproductive, which are responsible for procreation.

An interesting fact about the soldier caste of termites is that while their large head and jaw serve them well in defending the nest it makes it impossible for them to feed themselves.  Soldier and reproductive termites must rely on the workers to be fed.

Besides being known for destruction (here in the US), in some countries in Africa gigantic termite mounds (up to 9 meters tall) are actually tourist attractions.  And from the pictures, they are quite impressive!  Termites are very beneficial in the break down of decaying plant matter, as it is their food source.  However, when it comes to wood structures, like houses, business buildings, wooden play structures, etc.  Termites are a very detrimental pest as they eat through the wood in a structure they cause structural damage that (give ample time to eat) can be quite costly to repair.

Ant Exterminator's Theme Song? The Ants go Marching....

The Ants go marching one by one hurrah! Hurrah!

The Ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to suck his thumb

The Ants go marching down, around, and through the town.....

(origin unknown/writer unknown)

Okay so this is the song that is running through my head!  Why?  Well maybe it's because I have kids who sing silly songs...  And maybe it's because I've seen a LOT of ants around Portland and Vancouver lately!  Probably a combination of those two things!  I caught an inseminated carpenter ant marching towards my house to find a place set up her colony.  The only galleries allowed in my house are set up by children with art they've done... Not carved out by carpenter ants destroying my home-- that ant tried messing with the wrong guy!  After all, I am a pest control professional-- naturally I exterminated the potential problem with one crushing blow (no product necessary for this job-- my shoe was the natural choice).

Carpenter ants can cause some pretty serious problems if they do become established in a wooden structure such as a home, garage, shed, fence, business building, etc.  The cost of getting rid of a colony early is far less than letting the infestation grow to the point of causing structural damage.  Because Carpenter Ants carve out galleries (smooth tunnel systems) in wood, they cause structural damage when the wood supporting a structure is compromised by extensive carving.

Carpenter ants are different than termites, people are often surprised to find out that they do not eat wood, they carve it out and leave a sawdust at the ends of their tunnels (this sawdust is not always in places where people will notice-- so just because their is no sawdust it is not safe to assume ants in the house are not carpenter ants).  Termites actually eat wood and have mud tubes and dirtier and less smooth tunnel systems.  There are other differences between carpenter ants and termites, but that is another blog for another day...  Today I'm just focusing in on ants!

There are many types of ants that can infest a home and they range in size from about 1/16th of an inch to 5/8ths of an inch.  There are sugar ants, odorous house ants, carpenter ants, moisture ants, ghost ants (they're real and alive).  Many types of ants are a nuisance but cause no structural damage, but there are ants that do cause damage so it is always a good idea to have a Pest Control Professional, come out and do an inspection.