Identifying And Removing Factors That Attract Termites To Sugar Land Homes

The most destructive termites in Sugar Land are subterranean termites. They live in the ground and need contact with the soil in most cases. You can use this knowledge to help detect signs of termites in your home or yard. Our goal today is to help you identify a termite problem early by detecting the signs, and also to help you stop termites before you see these signs. We'll walk you through how to find evidence of termite damage, how termites may attack your property, and how to remove the factors that attract them. At the end, we'll tell you how All-Safe Pest & Termite can help you get superior protection. If you want that protection immediately, feel free to jump to our contact page for certified termite pest control in Sugar Land. We're happy to help.

How To Identify Termite Damage

It isn't easy to detect termite infestations in Sugar Land. Subterranean termites are super sneaky, and most of the damage they do is on the interior of wood, out of sight. But there are unique circumstances that can provide an opportunity for you to detect damage and warning signs that these termites are in the wood of your home.

Where To Look: While it is bad to have wood-to-soil contact, you can use it to help detect termites until you take the time to prevent wood on your property from touching the soil. You may also check wood that is near the soil or in humid locations. Some ways to check include:

• Check the posts on your fence or back deck. Do they go into the ground? Dig the soil away and look for trenches in the wood. You may also see termite workers or soldiers. Workers are ⅛ of an inch long and pale. Soldiers are slightly bigger and have orange heads with black pincers.
• Pick up dead branches in your yard and peek underneath. You may find termite workers on the bottom of these wood sources. You can do the same for campfire wood and scrap wood.
• Chop into a stump or dying tree and take a look inside. If you find stacked tunnels that feel gritty to the touch, or you see workers, you know you have a termite problem. Keep in mind that termites won't stay isolated to a termite-infested tree. They feed on multiple food sources and can damage your home even as they eat away at a dying tree or dead stump. 
• Does your home have a wood skirt? Inspect the skirting where it touches the soil.
• Check wood that is around or behind landscape vegetation, particularly if you water your vegetation. Wood rot is common in this zone.
• Rake wood chips and check underneath. You may find workers, soldiers, or white-winged swarmers underneath.

Termite damage is somewhat obvious when you can observe it. Unfortunately, worker termites avoid the light and will even hide from moonlight. So the damage they create is usually only on the interior.  You need to know the warning signs.

The signs subterranean termites provide are subtle. You'll need to examine the wood of your home closely:

• Tap on wood timbers to see if they sound hollow. If a solid piece of wood sounds hollow, something is going on inside that wood.
• Look for mud tubes. Subterranean termites create shelter tubes (often called mud tubes) to access above-ground wood sources. You may see these tubes on concrete, brick, wood, and other materials.
• Check for mud patches. Subterranean termites patch breaches in tunnel walls by using soil and saliva. You may detect tiny "mud" patches on the exterior of wood members with active termites inside.
• Look for shed wings. When termite swarmers mate, they shed their wings. If you have a nest, you may find lots of white wings scatted about in locations where you suspect termites are damaging the wood. If there is no nest or you have a new nest, you may find a white wing stuck in a spider's web. 

Use these warning signs to help you with your detection efforts. But remember that subterranean termites can damage your home without providing any sign of termite damage or any other noticeable warning sign.  

Why Termites Infest And Destroy Wooden Structures

Termites seem mysterious, but they aren't all that mysterious. They enter your yard in one of two ways. Workers will tunnel in, or swarmers will fly in. 

When workers tunnel into your yard and find a food source, the queen of the colony will produce more offspring, and reproductives in the colony may create a satellite colony in your yard to gather food faster. All of this happens under the ground. That's why they're called subterranean termites.

When swarmers enter your yard, they mate and shed their wings. Once they have selected their mates, they enter the ground and establish nests. Few swarmers live to create viable nests. The ones that do will grow their nests for several years and begin to produce new swarmers to create more nests. So, once a termite problem begins, it will only worsen.     

How To Identify And Remove Factors That Attract Termites

The last thing you want is for termite workers or swarmers to find a reason to come into your yard. When a worker tunnels onto your property and doesn't find a food source, there is no reason for a satellite colony. When swarmers fly onto your property and see no reason to stay, they may keep flying to the next property. Here are some factors you can identify and correct:

• Dead branches: It is critical to pick up sticks in your yard. Those sticks are a delectable food source for termites. You also need to store them properly. A pile of branches on the soil in your yard is exceedingly bad. Put branches in a container of some kind or remove them. Doing so will keep termites from accessing this food source and discourage them from establishing a satellite colony.
• Rotting wood: Do you have an old wood fence, deck, or shed? Termites may target these structures. When they do, they can also feed on the wood of your home as they feed on these. Consider replacing wood fencing with vinyl. Put your deck on concrete foundation posts and routinely inspect your shed for mud tubes.
• Dead wood: Remove stumps and burn away stump roots. Remove logs and any dead wood used for landscaping. Remove dying trees or hire a professional to bring your trees back to life.
• Cardboard and paper: A stack of debris in your yard can attract termites. They don't just eat wood. They'll feed on cardboard, paper, clothing, and other materials inside a pile of junk. 
• Lights: Termite swarmers are drawn to light. As they pass by your property, the last thing you want to do is keep the lights on. But turning lights off might be a security concern. We recommend replacing light bulbs that cast white or full-spectrum light with bulbs that cast yellow light. Insects can't detect yellow light. You may also consider installing fixtures or bulbs that are motion sensitive. On top of these tips, consider keeping shades closed at night to prevent interior lights from attracting swarmers.
• Moisture: Termites are attracted to moisture and humidity. A clogged gutter system can lead to a termite control issue. Get your gutters cleaned and consider installing gutter guards to prevent debris from getting into your gutters and blocking the flow of water. Along with this, maintain dry landscape vegetation. Give your plants only the water they need and make sure your vegetation doesn't stay damp.

Everything you do to remove termite attractants will add a layer of protection. It is hard work, but remember that termite control like this typically provides long-lasting protection. Another way to get long-lasting protection is to hire a certified termite control professional.  

The Key To Total Termite Control For Sugar Land Homes

Do you live in Sugar Land? If so, you're in our service area. Let All-Safe Pest & Termite help you with your termite damage prevention. We specialize in termite control and prevention. Our primary tools are Termidor® SC and the Sentricon® System with Always Active™. Termidor stops termites in their tracks and Sentricon provides ongoing, and always active, termite colony detection and elimination. Together, these provide a one-two punch to knock down termites. We know of no better way to prevent termite damage to Sugar Land properties. If we did, we'd be using it.

The pest control experts at All-Safe Pest & Termite only trust products that have a track record of success. Termidor products are the standard of termite control in the industry and, while newer to the game, Sentricon has earned a strong reputation. You are in good hands when these products are installed by a certified professional. If you'd like to learn more or schedule service for your Sugar Land property, connect with us. We would love the opportunity to help you find the right termite control solution for your specific needs and budget. Termites are sneaky. Don't let them damage your property right under your nose. Get protected, starting today.