Many homeowners shudder to think that they may have termites on their property. Despite their small size, these tiny insects can cause a lot of damage to your home and other wooden structures. At Terra Pest Management Specialists, we are one of the top-rated Collegeville pest control companies because we have the experience and knowledge to eliminate these destructive insects from your property. Here is a look at everything that you need to know about termite control for your home. 

How To Identify Termites And Their Damage

Subterranean termites are the most common type of termite found in Collegeville. As their name suggests, these termites live primarily underground. In a subterranean termite colony, you will find three different categories of termites: workers, soldiers, and reproductives. 

The workers are usually about ¼ of an inch long. They have light, cream-colored bodies and round heads that have two long antennae sprouting from the top. These are the termites that you are most likely to find inside and around wooden structures. They have sharp jaws that allow them to easily chew through wood. 

Subterranean soldier termites also have off-white or cream-colored bodies. But their heads are usually dark-brown, and they have large mandibles protruding from their face. The job of the soldier is to defend the colony. They use their impressive mandibles to fend off ants and other invaders.

There are two types of reproductive termites in a subterranean colony. The primary reproductives have dark bodies and long white wings that are somewhat translucent. The winged termites are also known as swarmer termites because they swarm different locations looking for a place to mate and start a new colony. The secondary reproductives don't have any wings, and their job is to reproduce more termites for the existing colony. 

The Extent Of Structural Damage Termites Can Create

Subterranean termites are social insects that live in extremely large groups. One subterranean termite colony can have over one million termites living together. In fact, if a subterranean termite colony only has 60,000 termites living in it, it is considered to be a small colony.

Because these types of termites tend to live in such large numbers, it does not take long for a colony to cause serious damage to your wooden structures. On average, a small colony of termites can eat around five grams of wood each day. This may not sound like much, but if they are left alone and able to stay around one food source, they can cause an excessive amount of damage in a matter of months. 

Natural Termite Prevention Tips For Around The Home

The type of termites that are found in Collegeville prefer to live in moist areas. Some of the things that you can do to ensure that termites are not hanging around your home include:

• Make sure that there is a proper water drainage system around your home.
• Repair or replace water-damaged wood.
• Seal cracks and crevices in your foundation.
• Don't use mulch close to your house.
• Don't stack firewood next to your home.

Termites are attracted to all types of wood. You should make sure that any fallen tree branches and other wooden materials are removed from your yard if you want to keep termites away.

The Best Termite Control For Collegeville Properties

It can be difficult to get rid of termites once they have invaded your property. At Terra Pest Management Specialists, we know how to eliminate termites from your Collegeville property and keep them away for good. Give us a call today to schedule an inspection. 

Our certified pest experts will work with you to find the best solution for your needs. Simply fill out this form for a free, no-obligation estimate.