Dont Use Insect Spray
For whatever reason, may homeowners believe that simply using insect spray is an effective way of killing off termites. This really isnt practical at all, as termites live deep beneath the ground in vast numbers. Spraying a handful of them on the surface is pointless. So avoid the temptation to use insect spray, youll just aggravate the problem and cause them to relocate elsewhere.
How To Control Termites In Lawn
Termites can be a huge annoyance and, if left untreated, could lead to major structural damage. This is why its important to know how to control termites in lawns, which we will cover below.
The first step is learning more about termite identification, what they look like and where they live. Termites that are on the ground leave behind fecal pellets that resemble coffee grounds.
You may also see them outside of your home or around windowsills as well as any other area on the exterior walls of your home.
As for nests, youll find them on rotting wood near trees or under houses with sagging floors or decks because these conditions provide an ideal habitat for their preferred diet of cellulose material such as paper and wood. Continue reading this full blog post to know more about how to control termites in lawn.
How To Identify Termites
Termites and flying ants possess a very similar appearance, enough so that, without closer inspection, you may mistake one for the other. In order to effectively treat your pests, you must properly identify which insect is responsible for your infestation.
Ants:
- Body – Thorax and constricted abdomen are clearly defined
- Wings – Front pair of wings is larger than rear pair and only a little larger than the body
- Antennae – Distinct elbow-shaped antennae feature an elongated first segment
Termites:
- Body – Ribbed abdomen is one continuous, thick piece with no visible waist
- Wings – Two pairs of vein-filled wings are equal in length and twice the length of the body
- Antennae – Antennae are straight and somewhat short, and they have no eyes
So what are termites? In addition to identifying termites by sight, there are a number of signs that indicate their presence. Termites often build mud tubes, which are thin mud structures as small as 1/4-inch diameter that connect the ground to your house, garage or other wooden structure. Inspect wood structures closely for signs of decay by gently tapping on them. If a solid beam sounds hollow, chances are you have termite trouble. Discarded wings are a physical sign that termites may be in the house, as reproductive termites shed their wings once they find a new place to set up a colony.
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How To Get Rid Of Flying Ants Nest Outside
Step 1 Use a stationary bug zapper to lure and kill flying ants. You can also use an insecticide spray intended for outdoor use to kill individual flying ants.
Step 2 Purchase ant bait intended for outdoor use. This will exterminate any ant colonies living on your property.
This product works especially well for flying pests. Just press a button on the side of the handle, and bring the paddle in contact with the flying ant. An electrical impulse will kill it immediately. This product contains a built-in safety feature, so you dont need to worry about using it around kids or pets.
Hoont 1 Robust Electric Indoor Ant Zapper also uses electricity to kill flying ants. It includes a fan that will suck in flying ants and other bugs. A removable tray at the bottom collects the dead bugs, allowing easy cleanup.
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Precautionary Measures To Take In And Around Your Garden And Yard Areas
To avoid creating attractive areas around your home while gardening here are some great preventative tips-
- It would be wise not to build any veggie gardens or raised garden beds up against the house. If there are existing garden beds against the house, it would be advisable to move them away from the walls edge, or be mindful of how often you water them
- No soil or mulch should extend past or be built up over the weep holes as termites will travel straight through the weep holes and into the house.
- If you have an irrigation system, ensure that there are no leaks that provide termites with a water source beneath soil or mulch.
- If you are using treated mulch, it needs to be a termite resistant mulch, otherwise, its quite literally an invitation for termite colonies to nest within your property
- Avoid planting gum trees, paperbark trees and palm trees. Termites love to nest in the root crowns of these trees. There are two main termite species, Coptotermes and Schedorhinotermes that are naturally attracted to these types of trees.
Of course, common sense should prevail. These recommendations dont mean having to maintain a barren landscape and that you cant enjoy your garden. Its more regular watering, or continual dampness in the wrong areas which can attract termites and cause problems.
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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.
How To Get Rid Of Crane Flies In Your Lawn
So, you need to know How To Get Rid Of Crane Flies before they hatch in your lawn. And destroy your grass.
In this article, well talk about these topics:
- Why you have crane flies
- Why there are so many out of seemingly nowhere
- Ways How To Get Rid Of Crane Flies
- What to spray to kill the larvae
- When to hire a professional exterminator
- How to keep them out of your home
- And more
Use the table of contents to quickly find the info you need.
If you have any questions, leave a comment.
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Termites Species And Their Habitat
Two of the most common species of termites are the eastern subterranean termite and the Formosan subterranean termite. The former is widely distributed in Alabama. The latter is more or less centered in the southern region of the state.
Termites nest below the ground, needing two things to survive moisture and cellulose . Cellulose, or lignocelluse, is the basic component of plant cell walls. Both of the termite species are capable of damaging plants, including trees and fruit trees, flowering plants, shrubs, and vegetable plants.
I Am An Active Gardener Does That Mean I May Inadvertently Be Creating A Haven For Termites
Someone who does a lot of digging and watering in the garden may unknowingly be creating attractive areas for termites to nest. For example, A front porch pot plant that is watered daily often leads to water seeping into the ground through the drainage holes.
This creates a damp concealed area from which termites can derive their water source leading to potential problems. It can be worse if you have numerous pot plants all stored collectively on a timber deck or porch.
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What About The Price
Price is important to all of us. Dont always trust your home to the lowestprice contractor, though. If you find aprice for termite treatment that is significantly lower than other companiesyouve investigated, ask questions. Ask abouttheir annual inspections, if a contract will be issued, how the treatment willbe applied and what products will be used. If you get evasive answers or feel pressured to make a quick decision, youmay want to reconsider the low price youve received for treatment. Ask yourself if you want to trust your hometo a contractor that may not provide the best results. Also, remember termite treatment is not a doit yourself pest control project.
Have more questions? Reach out to us on our contact page. At Lawn and Pest Solutions, we are serious about pests including termites. We would love to have one of our certified technicians stop by your home and give you an estimate or just answer questions for you. We service all of North Mississippi, including Tupelo, New Albany, Oxford, Hernando and all points in between.
Bug Off: 5 Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Termites In Garden
Termites are more than a nuisance in your home.
If you notice termites in garden settings, its easy to panic. Termites are naturally occurring in soils.
Once youve found termites in the garden, that means theyve found a food source. Termites feed on cellulose existent in wood and plant roots.
Termites will stay hidden when first spreading. Especially in an outdoor setting, seeing termites in the larval stage is difficult. However, once theyve grown, termites are attracted to light sources and will be active in a garden setting.
That means if youre planning to build a wooden structure near the garden, termite-resistant wood is a good idea.
If youre dead set on getting rid of termites in your garden, we have you covered. Here are five of the most effective ways to get rid of termites that have infiltrated your space.
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Dont Use Pine Sleepers
Some gardeners use treated pine sleepers to raise their garden beds, but this pine has been treated with very toxic arsenic, so when you water your flowers the chemical seeps into the soil and damages your flowers. If the wood has direct contact with the soil and is exposed to moisture, it can also attract termites.
How To Kill Termites In Yard
Dont rush, remember that that way would work only with drywood termites
The Subterranean ones have their nest somewhere else and if you burn the infested wood you will only make them find another place for foraging. So you might be directing them toward your house. So, if you found even a small sign of infestation fight it for real.
So, how to get rid of termites in the garden? Therere so many different methods of DIY and professional anti-termite treatments that its not surprising to get confused. Therere several things you can do for the termites in your garden:
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Dont Let Termites Become A Regret & Protect Your Home
TermiGold is a professional and reliable provider of Termite Bait Stations. Weve helped hundreds of Aussies take control of their termite monitoring and protect their home. If you have any questions about our Termite Bait Stations, Instructions on the Baiting Process or anything else, dont hesitate to Get In Touch with our friendly termite experts.
How To Identify A Termite Infestation
Before we dive into techniques to rid your home of termites, lets break down the ways to identify a termite infestation. Unfortunately, its not as easy as seeing a termite skittering down your wood grain. Start by checking your attic, all of your homes cracks and joints, and fuse boxes. Here are some types of evidence that your homes foundation is under attack.
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Termites: Tiny Insects Cause Big Damage
- Nationwide pest control company Orkin says that each year, termite damage impacts around 600,000 American homes.
- On average, a homeowner spends $3,000 on termite damage repair. American homeowners spend roughly $5 billion annually to control termites and repair termite damage.
- The Centers for Disease Control says subterranean termites are the most-destructive pests of wood in the United States.
- Annually, termites cause more property damage than fire and windstorms combined.
Thats even more impressive when you realize that large swaths of the country see virtually no termites at all. Termites heavily damage the Southeastern U.S., Hawaii, and Californias coast. A new pest, the formosan termite, invaded Texas and Florida beginning in the 1960s. But most of the country sees light to moderate termite activity the northernmost states have little to no termite activity.
Cost Of Termite Pest Control
If youre a do-it-yourself fan, home supply stores sell termite poisons and baits for as little as $20 per gallon. As with any DIY project that involves poison, follow directions closely.
For those who hire a professional pest control service, the Arizona extension points out homeowners can expect an average liquid termite treatment to run between $500 and $1,800. Theyll carry an additional $80-$200 in annual renewable service agreements.
Termite baits tend to be more expensive, averaging $1,500, with an annual renewal fee that can be two or three times that of the liquid application.
And if youre in the middle of a real estate transaction, fumigation is likely the way to go, with no long waiting period before it takes effect. Fumigation charges run $1-$4 per square foot treated, so a 1,000 square-foot house at $2 per square foot would cost $2,000.
Main image: Formosan termite alates, also called swarmers, captured on a sticky trap. USDA photo by Scott Bauer, CC 2.0
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Remove Any Dead Tree Trunk From Its Roots
Did you chop off a tree from your yard, and theres still a portion of it above the ground?
If yes, uproot it entirely with the root.
Tree roots attract termites, and theyd start to nest around the roots.
So, dig up and uproot it completely. For getting it done better, use a professional tree removal service.
Your yard is not a hiding place just for the termites. Other bugs like roaches, fire ants, and even fleas can live and nest in your yard.
How To Kill Termites Naturally
Top 9 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Termites
Want to kill termites naturally and fast? So you should try to use top 9 natural termite killers we listed here. Read on to learn how to kill termites naturally yourself.
Termites are one of the most damaging infestations when it comes to our homes, businesses, and yards.
Luckily, youve got options. But maybe youre uneasy about using some of the products on the market that could have safety risks for your family and arent sure what kills termites naturally.
Weve got you covered. Well fill you in on the most effective natural ways to kill termites and how to get started.
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How To Kill Termites
15 Effective Ways to Get Rid of Termites
Dont know how to kill termites effectively? If so, you should read this post to the end to discover 15 most effective ways to get rid of termites naturally and fast.
Out of the umpteen insects, critters, rodents and other pests, termites seem to be the most dangerous ones. They are one such pest that can ruin your houses foundation in just a few years.
The worst part is that they are not even noticeable in the first few years. This means that they dont come with a warning.
It can be too late once you realize that your house has been infested by termites.
Your home is precious and in no way you can take a chance to re-invest because of the mere pest.
It becomes crucial that you take steps and precautions to protect your home from termites.
Before we directly dive into the ways to control termites, we should have some knowledge about them.
Hint: Want to quickly get rid of termites? Then you definitely need to use the best termite killer products.
Baiting System
What Are The Other Signs Of The Infestation
Termite swarm means the colony has reached its full development and might already be there for few years, then you should consider yourself lucky, if you still dont have them in your house, but there can be other signs:
Make an inspection of small wooden structures, trees and stumps in your backyard. Take a screwdriver and tap with the dull end on wood if the sound feels a bit hollowed, pick it with the sharp end. You will see if the wood is damaged, and maybe even catch some termite workers on crime scene.
Take some time and check if you might see any termites in the soil itself. The best way to do so is to dig slightly your flowerbeds, if they are covered with any kind of mulch and around the tree roots.
When you find the insects, make sure its termites and not ants, so you dont waste your time fighting a wrong enemy.
Advice! If youre not sure that you can tell termite from an ant, you can collect some samples and bring them to your local pest control office for the identification.
And coming back to the swarm, you always might skip the moment it actually happened. But afterwards you might see a lot of shed wings around your garden and on the windowsills.
If you found them, remember that winged termites never end up too far away from their nest. So, the more wings you notice the better chances that the colony is very close.
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