Tag: termite control

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Pest Control

The Swarm

Termites are pests that live in large colonies and behave very similarly to bees.  Like bees, each termite has a job they are responsible for to ensure they keep the colony going.  One of the jobs of a termite is a swarmer. The swarmer must leave the colony, find a mate, reproduce, and scout out a new location to build a nest.  Swarmers look different than most of the termites in the colony.  They are winged with black bodies, which often makes them mistaken for flying ants. Once you see a swarmer on the loose, it is safe to say that the colony they came from has at least a thousand other termites working behind the scenes. McFadden Pest Control considers this a problem that needs our professional attention.   

What do you do if you notice a termite swarm?

Before you try to tackle this on your own, call McFadden Pest Control. If you are seeing a swarm, this means you may already have a problem, or the potential of a problem showing up has just gone up.

Immediate steps you can take:

  1. Contain the space- Termite swarms launch from a single location. This means if you can close off the opening, you can contain the termites rather than them finding a new source of food. 
  2. Create a barrier- Placing rocks around the perimeter of your home creates a more difficult entrance for termites to get through. This is a distraction that could lead termites to pass by your home and on to their next location. 
  3. Turn off outdoor lights- Swarmers are attracted to light. This means that they often swarm during the day or at night if lights are left on outside. 
  4. Get rid of moisture- Termites need water to survive. When there is standing water in your gutters or around your drains, this entices termites to show up to your house.

Termites are not a pest you want around your home.  They cause structural damage, and the cost associated with a large problem can be astronomical.  Call McFadden Pest Control to take care of any termite issue you think could be swarming around.

Are you interested in learning more about McFadden Pest Control? 
Feel free to reach us at 843-763-4533 or info@mcfaddenpestcontrol.com.

Categories
Pest Control

The Calm Before the {Termite} Swarm

For some, creepy crawlies and pests give you the ‘heebie-jeebies,’ but it doesn’t always have to be that way.  In most cases, pests around your home are helping the ecosystem and keeping others, at times larger rodents, away from your property. We say that to ensure problems and termites don’t scare you.  The good news, everything is manageable and preventable.  So, whether you are talking about your health and safety or protecting your home, knowledge, and prevention is your best defense for quieting those ‘heebie-jeebies.’

We have all heard horror stories of people discovering costly damage to their property, because they did not realize that termites had set up shop in their home. Knowledge is power in the fight against infestation. 

It may not be immediately apparent that you have termites in your home, but there are some warning signs: 

  • mud tubes on trim or sheetrock
  • discarded wings 
  • termite frass (looks like sawdust)
  • cracking/sagging walls or door jams

All these things indicate that there could be termite activity on your property; however, this does not indicate that you are in trouble.  Good news, right?  Termite extermination is possible in most cases and effective to save your home before the damage becomes unmanageable. 

The best approach with termites will always be prevention. We have several options for keeping your home protected from these invaders. Each property will have unique risk factors, and our professional team will know how to set up a system of protection that will best manage risk to your property. 

It’s important to know that several types of termites invade differently depending on the time of year and location. Termite activity is found year-round in the warm, humid climate of South Carolina. 

As Benjamin Franklin once said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Are you interested in learning more about McFadden Pest Control? 
Feel free to reach us at 843-763-4533 or email us admin@mcfaddenpestcontrol.com.