How To Get Rid Of Termites In Pool

How To Prevent Termites From Returning

It will feel great when you have successfully rid your home of the termites! However, you do need to continue to try to prevent a reinfestation. One of these ways is to spray the Boracore in the attic on all exposed wood. Also, spray it in the exterior underneath the house and where you see floor joists.

The other way is to spray FiPro Aerosol in voids, cracks, and crevices. Do this every three months to keep the areas under control. Lastly, keep an eye out for further signs of termite activity and reduce moisture around the house.

How To Get Rid Of Drywood Termites

Termites are bad news for a home and unfortunately, they do make their presence known, especially in the warmer and more humid climates like Florida. In addition, there are over twenty species of termites and one of those popular here in Florida are the drywood termites. How do you get rid of drywood termites? There are two different ways: Use Boracare or Fitpro Aerosol and keep moisture out of the home.

Lets take a look at what drywood termites are, how to identify them, Drywood vs. Subterranean, where to inspect, signs of drywood, how to get rid of them, how to prevent the termites from returning, other areas to monitor, home inspection report and when to call a professional.

Rain Leads To Damp Wood In Homes

Damp soil and standing water in yards after rain can attract many termites to homes. Two of the most common species of termites in the United States, dampwood and subterranean termites, prefer to infest moist or decaying timber. They are most often found in wood that stays damp through contact with the soil or as a result of flooding or leaking pipes.

To look for termites, check areas around the home where water damage is common, such as crawl spaces, sill plates, subfloors, exterior walls, soffits and fascia behind leaking gutters, leaks in the roof, and porches.

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Termite Biology: Driven To Find Water And Wood ^

Termites spend most of their time targeting cellulose and water. These are the two ingredients needed by any termite colony. There are many places where termites will find both wood and water including structures, forests and the general landscaping around most any home.

In the yard, swimming pools can be such an area. Most pools have the two ingredients termites need to survive and will become the main target of any termite colony if given the chance. This could happen anywhere a pool is installed but it seems to happen more in arid regions or when any one region is experiencing a drought. During dry times termites get desperate for moisture and will target any body or source of water the sense.

POOL DESIGN AND TERMITES DO TERMITES LIKE ONE POOL OVER ANOTHER?

There are many types of pools. Pools made of cement, gunite and other solid materials similar to rock are generally not going to have problems with termites. Pools which utilize any type of liner can and this will include both in ground and above ground designs.

Eliminate Drywood Termites With The Help Of Professionals

Knowing how drywood termites look in appearance and the different methods of eliminating them is one step towards protecting your home during this termite swarm season.

However, since dry termites are relentless and can cause immense damage to your home, you may need the help of professionals.

Professionals will not only inspect your home but also provide you with top-notch pest control methods while ensuring your health.

Contact us today for the most affordable, reliable, and professional pest control services.

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Mistake #: Forgetting About Termite Prevention

Some simple preventative measures can save you a lot of money on damage control. First, keep in mind that termites wont eat through paint. Make sure that you dont have peeling paint or cracks where they can sneak in.

Keep foundation gaps caulked and sealed. Dont let leaking water lead to soggy wood that may draw termites in. Keep your crawl space dry with proper ventilation to keep out moisture-loving subterranean termites.

If youre concerned that you may already have termites, schedule an inspection.

When Do Termites Swarm

Termite swarming season usually happens during early spring. They usually start mating when temperatures start to pick up and especially after it rains. Theyre known to sense the environment and pick up environmental cues to determine the proper time to swarm.

This is critical to termite propagation because if each colony swarms at different times, they may never end up finding each other. They need to be synchronized to all swarm simultaneously, which they can do using environmental cues.

Winged termites will fly towards light sources that are strong and warm. This usually is where youll find them during the night as they swarm. You wont find them during the night. In fact, the majority of Subterranean termites swarm during the day only.

And Formosan termites will swarm only during the night. The species of the pest will affect when they actually swarm. So theres no definite answer. It varies down to the species.

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Termites Actually Eat Through Liners ^

Termites ability to detect water even through thick pool liners will initiate an interest toward an in ground pool. If they desire or need the water bad enough, they will chew their way through the liner which in turn will cause water leaks. Slow at first, water loss will almost be non-detectable. However, most termite harvesting of water will tend to increase and as more and more access holes are created, water loss will be fast and noticeable.

Left to bore as they please, the water loss will be so bad the liner will have to be replaced. Many people believe termites ate their liner when in fact the termites really ate through the liner .

Are Termites Harmful To Humans

Termites would be innocuous insects if it were not for one thing, they love to eat wood.

This includes items made from wood such as furniture, support beams, and other areas of your home that are made from this natural product.

As far as humans are concerned, termites can sting and can even bite them.

Although termite bitten wounds are not toxic certain people may experience allergic reactions.

You would also be astounded to know that although termites dont carry or transmit diseases to humans, they can trigger attacks like asthma and other respiratory disorders to humans if they reside for long in homes infested with termites.

Certain people may also be allergic to the saliva and droppings of termites.

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How Do Flying Termites Get In Your House

Flying termites come into your home from any available entryways. This means windows with broken screens, open doors, or even from within your home.

Depending on the termite species, there are multiple ways they can enter your home. If you already have termites, flying ones means that the colonies have no more resources.

The flying termites will escape the colony in search of a mate. You may never even notice them until they actually leave the colony.

After they leave, theyll fly around your home and congregate within a well-lit or dark area. Again, whether they prefer light or dark depends on the species.

If you want a list of where flying termites come from, here are the most common entry points:

• Damaged or broken window screens
• Damaged or broken patio door screens
• Open doors
• Basement vents
• Within the home

There are many ways flying termites can get into your home, but the most common way seems to be from termite colonies already established.

The flying termites abandon the colony and fly around your home. This is why you sometimes notice them come out of nowhere all of a sudden. You couldve had a termite problem for the longest time but never was aware of it until you see flying swarmers.

How You Can Prevent Drywood Termite Damage

Termites Are Attacking Homes And Many Owners Are Looking For Solutions

Drywood termites are one of the major causes of structural damage to homes and businesses in Orange County. This article is for owners who want to know what to look for and those who want to learn how to protect what is probably their largest investment.

What is a drywood termite?

Drywood termites belong to the family Kalotermitidae and while they are similar to subterranean termites, their ecology and behavior are distinctly different. The Western Drywood termite is the most common specie in Orange County. They are about ½ inch long, dark brown, with smoky black wings and have a reddish-brown head.

Many owners confuse ants with termites. To avoid this confusion, take a close look at the insect with a magnifying glass. Drywood termites have two pairs of equal length wings which are almost twice as long as the body. Whereas, ants have wings which are not much longer than their body and one pair is obviously shorter than the other.

Another way to distinguish an ant from a termite is to take a close look at their bodies. Termites appear to have only two body parts a head and an abdomen. Ants, on the other hand, have three distinctive body parts and youll see an obvious pinched-waist between the abdomen and thorax.

Why do drywood termites swarm?

Drywood termites swarm because it is part of their mating ritual. They usually swarm in Orange County during the months of September and October.

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Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Termites

Here are the 5 simple ways to kill termites naturally:

1. Using a cardboard trap: The DIY section discusses on how to eradicate termites using cardboard trap. This cost involved in doing this DIY will be around $0.15.

2. Eliminating moisture: Keep all the wooden structures dry. Do not let moisture seep into the wood. The moment it seeps in, there is a possibility of termite infestation.

3. Using heat and cold methods: As already discussed, extreme heat or extreme cold can destroy the termites immediately. You may use the microwave technique or the liquid nitrogen technique to kill the termites.

4. Exposing to sunlight: Exposing the wood to sunlight can be very helpful. Although it can be a slow process, but termites will die as and when the day passes.

5. Nematodes: Nematodes feed on termites, bacteria, and other creatures. They do not harm the environment and are safe to use. It may cost you some money, but the treatment is effective enough to eradicate the termites.

What Are Winged Termites

In termite society, there are different castes that determine the termites role in the colony. Only termites that are reproductive will grow wings. Even then, not all reproductive termites have wings. There are two primary types of reproductive termites: alates and neotenics. There are two further subtypes of neotenics, and alates have two further stages. Neotenics will not have wings, although some of them will have wing nubs neotenicssupplement the colonys egg production and resemble smaller queens. Alates are the winged termites that you are likely to see as neotenics remain inside the colony.

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Why Do They Swarm

Termites swarm exclusively for breeding and mating purposes. A swarm notes the beginning of a new termite colony.

During a swarm, swarming termites seek out partners for breeding. Sexually mature males and winged females will abandon their nest and fly, to which theyll then join each other in a huge swarm. The congregation of flying termites will mate with other termites from another colony.

This ensures a good mixture of genes since the termites will mate with flying termites from a different colony rather than their own.

When termites leave their nest to seek out termites from other colonies, theyre in whats called nuptial flight. This isnt exclusive to just termites. Some species of ants do the same type of flight.

The point of the flight is for mating purposes. After the flying termites mate, theyll land and shed off their wings. Then the new colony of termites is started, which will just lead to more pest problems for homeowners.

Check out this video of a termite swarm by TDtangents:

Signs Of The Drywood Termites

Frass, wings, and feces. Termite frass, as shown above, is termite droppings. If there is frass, it is from drywood termites. Frass are typically tan or black, small, and if you look close up with a magnifying glass, it has indents on it all around.

Additionally, there will be swarmer wings. As mentioned above, these wings indicate that the termites are actively mating and creating new colonies. If you see this, contact a professional right away.

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Fifth Reason For Clusters Of Ants In Pool A Buggy Yard Or Garden

Thats one of the obvious reasons for not just ants in the pool but also for swimming pool bugs that float around and make swimming in your pool a terrible experience.

Also, if there are shrubs and bushes very close to the pools perimeter, then it makes it easy for the ants and bugs to get inside your pool.

These are the five reasons why you have ants in your pool.

But why do these ants form clusters?

Lets find it out.

Ways To Get Rid Of Flying Termites

So, you need to quickly get rid of flying termites around your home !

In this comprehensive termite guide, youll learn:

• How to identify flying termites
• How to get rid of flying termites using DIY home remedies
• How to prevent future flying termites
• And a lot more

Well cover everything you need to know in one place so you dont need to go all over the net picking up tiny bits and pieces of information.

Feel free to bookmark this page so you can easily refer back during your journey to rid these winged pests!

Ready? Lets dive right in and go flying termite-free!

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How To Get Rid Of Flying Ants In The House

When you want to learn how to get rid of flying ants in the house, your first step is to look for nests.

They like to dwell in damp and moist environments. Some of the best places to look are:

• Wooden furniture
• Porch
• Windowsill

It is also wise to inspect any areas that are leaking water. This is important in the bathroom or near the kitchen sink.

If you dont find a nest and only see a few flying ants, you shouldnt need to spend a lot of time worrying about extermination. A simple aerosol spray or home remedy should be enough to fix the issue.

If you happen to come across a nest, you have a serious issue! You must work diligently to get rid of flying ants immediately before you have a full-blown infestation.

Dos And Donts Of Termite Prevention

• DO take extra care during the spring and late summer which are the times of year termites tend to swarm.

• If you see what you think may be ants, DONâT dismiss them get them checked out just in case.

• DO get an annual termite inspection, a great step to termite prevention and avoiding costly damage occurring.

• When it rains, DONâT allow water to pool up around your foundations.

• DO prevent moisture build-up by ensuring you air your home regularly.

• DONâT keep firewood piled up near your home.

You should now know how to get rid of termites with some easy tips and tricks for termite treatment as well as termite prevention. Now you should be able to easily protect your home and wooden furniture from these nuisance pests.

• Keep on top of your home cleaning using products like Cif and Domex so that you notice any anomalies to the wood in your home.

• Get annual termite inspections to keep ahead of the problem.

• Try to buy items which are pre-infused with pesticide.

Do you want to learn which household cleaning tasks cause the most stress? Then read our Heated Household data analysis.

Originally published

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Exterminating Flying Termites On The Outside

If your flying termites have confined themselves to activity on the outside of your home, youve got several options to get rid of them.

Flying termites, like virtually all insects, are attracted to light, to invest in a bug zapper. Make sure to place the device near where they termites are. While you use it, keep the lighting to a minimum around your home, so that doesnt attract them inside.

You can also swat them down like you would a fly or use an insecticide spray to kill them.

Are There Certain Things That Attract Winged Termites

Rotten and water logged wood is what termites prefer the most. In addition to that they prefer to frequent dark areas and stay out of the light. So you should do your best to clear your yard of deadfall, keep all mulch away from your house, and fix any water leaks within or around your home as soon as possible.

One thing you’ll notice here that many people neglect to do usually because they simply do not know any better is keeping mulch away from your house. I have seen countless homes with mulch incorporated into the landscape around houses. In fact it is quite common to see it right up against the foundation of nicely landscaped homes.

Although this looks great ask yourself if it is really worth the increased risk of a termite infestation.

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