Termites, also called “white ants”, are tiny soft bodied creatures that are divided into different class hierarchies. Despite the similarity between these two pests, termites are from a different family, and in fact are closer to the cockroach family than the ant. Differences in species can be easily detected by the shape of their antennae: in termites the pair of antennae is straight while in ants they bend at the center.
Termites are especially common in tropical areas; their nests are in the shape of cylinders. Colonies of termites in Israel are usually found under the foundations of buildings. The center of the nest is the home to the royal king and queen whose job it is to fertilize and reproduce. Most species of termites feed on wood so that eliminating unnecessary wood in and around your homes such as in windows, wooden beams and useless items of furniture is highly recommended.
Termites need only 2 mm thick holes in order to enter the building. New termite colony can “eat” the structure of the building in less than five years before any signs of damage are detected. Every year termites create more damage than fires, floods and tornadoes combined in the United States. Termites can cause damage of over five billion dollars a year and damages can cost homeowners thousands of dollars in treatment and repairs for damage.
Detecting Termite Activity
- Termite activity can be diagnosed in wooden furniture such as doorframes, windows, cabinets, wooden beams and more when wood and soil deposits appear on the floor.
- Sometimes moisture damage is confused with the damage done by termites. Moisture damage causes some form of swelling and cracking in the wood while termites feeding on wood is obvious by the wood deposits that are mixed with soil.
- After entering a new building termites shed their wings so that their wings may be found near windows, doorways, sinks and bathtubs and on cobwebs.
- Termites build mud tubes and have a diameter the size of a pencil.
- Termites eat wood from the inside, so one way to test suspected termite infestation is to tap the wood with a screwdriver and listen for a hollow sound.
- In homes where there is wood flooring you may be able to detect dark spots or blisters in the floor, which may be an indication of the presence of termites.
- Early detection is the key to reducing the extent of the damage that can be caused by termites.
TERMITES CONTROL STRATEGIES:
Termites control is a complex operation that requires time and professionals who are experienced with this type of pest. Pest control operations are considered complex because termites branch out and build burrows that can reach tens of meters.
Hazards caused by termites indicate the importance of pest control measures that will prevent them from invading our homes.
- Termite prevention measures are important before the construction of the building and include:
- Preventing moisture and water accumulation near and around the foundation of the building.
- Watching for places where cracks and canals appear beneath the structure.
- Disposing all wood residues. Do not bury any wood in the ground.
- Spread gravel generously around building foundations.
- Test Charts should be presented for flooring and disinfection if necessary.
- Spray a continuous layer of insecticides on the soil and use this as a barrier between the termite tunnels and the inside of the building. Afterwards, cover it with a sheet of plastic.
- Against termites, control operations are used as complementary for environmental care, and are performed during the construction of the building.
- If infected by termites the recommended treatment is to drill the floor of the house and around the foundations of the building at intervals of 0.5 m to 1 m as required and injecting insecticides into these holes.
- Sometimes a lesion can be treated by using bait. This prevents the need for drilling but it takes longer for the results to be seen. The results may take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to appear.