As you enjoy the California weather at your Anaheim home, you are likely not thinking about what could be happening to the wood in your home. While you relax in your easy chair, sipping on a cold drink, a swarm of termites could be busy beneath your feet as they build tunnels through the subflooring and floor joists. Another army of termites may be working away chewing through the timber in the attic above.
Termites are silent, often unseen, destroyers who are harmful to homes and can cause costly repairs. If you see signs of termites, secure the Anaheim pest control experts at A-1 Bonded Termite and let us solve your termite problem.
What Do Termite Swarmers Look Like?
A clear sign of termites infesting your Anaheim home is flying termites around your property. A swarm, or alates, is a large group of adult winged termites on a mission to find nesting locations and create new colonies of wood-destroying soldiers. Alates are not the workers in a termite colony; instead, they are a group of future kings and queens. The male and female termites flying on your property will likely be subterranean, dampwood, or drywood termites. Knowing the termite species helps determine the locations of their colonies.
People often confuse winged termites with flying ants, which may swarm at the same time of year. To help you with the identification between ant and termite swarmers, here are some distinctions:
- Antennae: Termites have straight antennae; ants have elbowed antennae.
- Body: An ant has a constricted body; termites have a body of uniform size.
- Wings: The two sets of wings on a termite are the same size, while the front and rear wings of an ant differ in size.
Termite swarmers have a 7/16 inch tan or dark brown body, and their wings have multiple veins. Learning the differences between a termite and ant swarm helps decide the correct course of action.
Flying Termites Could Be The First Warning Sign
One of the signs of termites inside your house is the presence of swarmers. In California, swarmer termites leave their mature colonies in early spring or late fall to find places to establish new nests. Termite swarms often gather around outdoor lights in the evening or early morning. Flying termites outside may have originated from woodpiles, dead trees, and tree stumps; however, the group may have emerged from the base of your home's foundation or a patio.
If you see winged swarming termites on your Anaheim property, you need to take action. Your house is likely infested with termites if you have swarmers in your home.
Six Tips To Stay Ahead Of The Termite Problem
If you see active termites flying in your home, immediate action is required to keep them from destroying your hard-earned investment. Here are six pest control steps you need to take:
- Vacuum the house — including the cracks and crevices.
- Seal windows and doors with screens.
- Drain damp areas around the house.
- Create a four-inch distance between wood mulch and the home.
- Remove dead trees, stumps, and rotting wood from the property.
- Relocate firewood away from the dwelling.
These tips will help remove and reduce the termite population in and near your home.
Professional Termite Control In Anaheim
If you see swarmers, contact A-1 Bonded Termite — the termite specialist near you. Our professionals will identify the termite species, create an appropriate action plan, and use environmentally safe and effective termite control treatments.
We will eliminate the existing termite colonies and will stop future infestations. Contact us today because time is of the essence.