In nature, termites play an important role in consuming fallen wood debris, but when displaced by human activity and urbanized dwellings, they become a formidable pest.
Termites feed on cellulose, which is organic fiber found in wood and plant matter. This means that an older wooden home provides all the resources a termite colony needs to thrive. In newly constructed homes and buildings, termites can still ensue plenty of damage, destroying everything from paper documents to cardboard boxes, to furniture and priceless antiques.
Homes with basements or structures with lower levels can provide the perfect entry points for termites. A colony in search of water and food can penetrate through the sill plate — the piece of wood that anchors the house to the foundation. Termites can also enter your property through floor drains, baseboards, unsealed door frames and downspouts on the exterior.
Termites are creatures of habit. Once they take up residence in your home or property they are really hard to get rid of and will begin to damage your property almost immediately.
That’s where a professional pest management solution comes in—we are equipped and ready to provide a termite management program for your home or business.
Abell does a substantial amount of termite prevention work with new construction as well as management programs for existing homes and properties.
Whether it's through active termite baiting and monitoring, termite foam, or directed liquid treatment in the areas of activity, we have the solutions to control termites as quickly as possible with minimal inconvenience.
For new builds and properties under construction, Abell Pest Control can pre-treat structural wood supported by anything directly touching the soil, so they’re toxic to termites. We can work with construction teams to point out potential problems when it comes to dealing with lumber and termites.
For existing homes and structures, monitoring and baiting for termites before they become a problem is a more economical and proactive approach than treating an infestation once it’s been discovered. While other pest companies may check your bait stations only once or twice a year, with our Termite Management Program your Abell Technician will come to your home or property to check the bait stations at least four times a year — keeping them fed with fresh bait. Plus, if there are other issues found, we’ll come back to fix those issues.
Your Abell Technician has detailed knowledge of termites and their habits. When it comes to termite detection, management and control, we’re on it.
While there are different species of termites in the United States and Canada, the most common species are subterranean and drywood.
Subterranean termites are common throughout the warmer States. They live in the soil, but they can also be found in fallen trees, stumps, or other dead wood in contact with the soil in the forest or structural lumber in your home.
Reproductive winged subterranean termites are dark brown to brownish-black with brownish-gray wings. Soldiers are wingless with milky white bodies and long, narrow heads with no eyes. Workers are slightly smaller, they are wingless and have a shorter head than soldiers.
Drywood termites are smaller than their subterranean cousins. Most are 1/4- to 3/8-inches long. They infest lumber, rotting wood, utility poles, decks, fences, lumber in storage and furniture. From this infested wood, winged reproductives swarm to infest other nearby wood. Unlike subterranean termites, drywood termites do not need damp, moist conditions to survive. Termites are sometimes confused as winged ants as the two look quite similar. Both winged ants and termites have antennae but unlike the bent antennae of ants, termite antennae are straight. Termite swarmers are black with one solid body, while ants are segmented.
Both flying ants and termites have two pairs of wings but termite wings are equal in size. Ant wings are segmented with the larger pair in front and smaller pair in the back. Some worker termites are translucent, almost clear in colour, while ants appear as black or a dark grey.
But termites are largely undetectable and homeowners rarely see the damage happening because termites eat wood from the inside out, so it’s hard to know you have a termite problem until it's really serious. However there are clues to watch for if you suspect a termite infestation in your house, building or facility.
Wood in your home that sounds hollow when you tap, is often a sign that termites have taken up residence in your home. Another telltale sign of termites is their discarded wings near window sills, doors and patios.
Mud tubes are another indicator of a termite problem. Mud tubes act as self-contained tunnels that the termites build to protect themselves. They provide moisture for the pests while they travel between their colony and their food source. Mud tubes are most often found near the foundation of your house, but they can also drop from the ceiling.
When trying to detect termites, also look for bubbling paint, swollen floors and ceilings, and soft, damp areas in your drywall.
