When dealing with pests in Salado, and the surrounding areas, you might assume that most pests aren’t active throughout the year. But, there are many pests around that can invade properties from January through to December.
One particularly troublesome pest that is active year-round, is the termite. These extremely destructive pests will eat through the wooden structures of your home continually once they get inside. What's worse is that they often go undetected for many months at a time so they can inflict a lot of damage before being discovered.
What Is Termite Season?
While termites are common throughout the year, termite season is the time when they are most visible. This period between March and October is when the termite swarmers, who are responsible for reproduction, leave the nest to make new colonies. This means that termite season is when you’re most likely to notice an infestation by spotting termites in the open.
To spot an infestation early on, it’s important to know how to identify termite swarmers so that you can address a termite problem as quickly as possible. These termites look different from the other members of the termite caste system because they have wings. Also, while the soldier and worker termites are a cream color, termite swarmers are dark brown to black and look similar to flying ants.
Termites And Property Damage
You likely already know that termites are one of the most destructive pests you’ll ever encounter around your Salado property, but they cause even more damage than you might realize. The average homeowner with a termite infestation will spend $3,000 on home repairs, and this number is sometimes much higher. Termites will eat a variety of wooden objects including flooring, support beams, and walls.
Because they usually live and nest in out-of-sight areas, it can be difficult to notice termites at first. Termite swarmers are usually the first sign of a problem, but you can also be on the lookout for a few other signs including discolored drywall, buckling floorboards, peeling paint, and hollow-sounding wood.
Useful Tips For Preventing Termites
Because termites are such difficult pests that can cost you time and money, the best way to deal with them is to focus on prevention. While you can’t guarantee you’ll never have termites, you can make your property less hospitable to them. Here are the main and most effective ways to keep termites out of your home or business:
- Termites are especially attracted to humidity, so you can remove excess moisture problems by fixing leaky plumbing and making sure your home has good ventilation.
- Removing soil to wood contact is one of the best ways to keep termites out. You can do this by installing a barrier between the foundation of the building and the soil.
- Removing any water damaged wood from your property is also an essential step.
- Likewise, it is advisable to keep firewood neatly stacked, dry, and stored about 30 feet from the exterior of the building.
- Finally remove decaying organic matter, such as dead leaves and grass, from your yard.
What’s The Best Way To Protect Your Property From Termites?
Once inside, termites can damage your property for months and even years without you noticing. While you can reduce the risk of termites swarming by following preventive measures, the most effective way to keep termites away year-round is with help from the experts at White Knight Pest Control. Our experienced team can provide month-to-month residential pest control assistance with preventing termites, and we can also completely remove infestations.
Don’t waste time and money dealing with these destructive pests on your own. Give us a call at (844) 933-2588 as soon as you notice signs of termites or to proactively start with our termite control options.