As you know, termite season can be unpredictable.

These wood-munching monsters are actually active throughout the entire year, but there are particular months where they are more noticeable – that’s when they “swarm.”

For those in balmier climates, termites are hanging about pretty much all year. However, in the cooler climes, you are more likely to see them from March to November.

The season isn’t the only thing that controls termite activity.

Since termites like to seek shelter within your climate-controlled home, they may be active all year long.

Don’t feel a sense of false security because it is chilly outside or it is a winter month – if you suspect termite activity it’s never too soon to call a pro.

5 Ways You Can Prevent Termites

The best way to deal with termites is to avoid getting an infestation in the first place!

There are several things that you can do to deter these destructive pests and make your home less appealing.

Here are five ways to help keep your home termite-free during termite season and all year long:

#1 Stack Your Firewood Away From the House

While keeping your firewood close to your door makes it easier to nip out on a chilly night for a few extra logs, it also creates easy access for termites.

The woodpile itself is like a buffet, but having it stacked against your house or in your crawlspace will give the termites a safe passageway into your house, even if you have termite treatments.

The best thing to do is to stack the wood several feet away. Another good tip is to keep it elevated off the ground.

#2 Keep the Foundation Free of Moisture

Termites need a water source, and having a home with improper drainage around the foundation will provide them with exactly what they need.

To avoid this situation, keep your gutters from being clogged with leaves and make sure the downspouts divert water away from the foundation.

You will also want to make sure that outdoor faucets aren’t dripping and that your air conditioner’s drip lines aren’t creating a pooling of water.

#3 Keep Mulch Raked

While wood mulch does make your beds look more attractive and well-kept, when you have excessive amounts of mulch around your foundation, it can lead to a termite infestation.

The bulkiness of the mulch can trap moisture and warmth making an ideal situation for the termites.

Try to keep your mulch raked away from your home, leaving a four- or five-inch buffer between the mulch and your foundation, siding, or door framings.

#4 Trim Your Trees and Shrubs

Be proactive in your trimming.

Keep bushes and tree limbs from overhanging your roof because the overgrown areas can act as the perfect shelter for termites. They also create a highway into your home.

The leaves that drop into your gutters can trap moisture and build the perfect home for an aerial termite.

#5 Get Regular Inspections

Remember that prevention is the best cure for termites!

That’s why it is a good idea to have regular termite inspections by knowledgeable professionals.

These inspections will keep you vigilant against the dangers of termite-infestations, and a professional termite inspector can point out any trouble areas that you may have missed.

Stay Vigilant

Now that you know the steps you can take to prepare yourself for termite season, you can rest a little easier.

Dugas offers annual termite inspections to help keep you from suffering the devastating effects of an infestation.

Don’t wait until it becomes a serious problem, contact Dugas today to schedule your inspection.

Every South Louisiana homeowners knows just how destructive termites can be to your home.

But do you know that even if you can’t see signs of these pests, they can still be hard at work chewing through your house – sometimes at the rate of a pound of wood a day!

We spoke to Branch Manager Daniel Hill about what he’s been seeing out in the field, so you can protect your property.

Termite Season is Intense This Year

Because of all the crazy weather we saw this year in South Louisiana – from warm to freezing – termite season will be especially intense.

Daniel says that the season started a little bit later than usual, but just as many colonies will be swarming. That means swarms will appear more frequently, and many colonies will swarm at once. You can think of them as “super swarms.”

The good news is that the season will still end on time, so this short but intense swarming season won’t continue through the summer.

How Far Will Termites go to Destroy YOUR Home?

Daniel has seen some interesting cases this year where termites have completely snuck up on unsuspecting homeowners.

Subterranean termites are named that for a reason – they live underground. Because of this they can sneak up on you and your home.

In one case, an inspection of a customer’s property revealed termites in a tree over 100 feet from the home. Further inspection revealed that they had actually tunneled all the way to the house and started making it their home from underneath. That’s why Daniel recommends a professional inspection – our fearless technicians will crawl through every nook and cranny of your home to ensure termites aren’t sneaking in.

Another customer saw no sign of termites – until they started chewing through the drywall! They had been hard at work without any sign of an infestation.

Termites Eat Like Crazy – and Not Just Wood

Since termites never stop eating, the search for a food source is constant.

But these hungry insects don’t just eat houses, they’ll attack anything with cellulose, including your vegetable garden! Daniel says that some customers have first noticed termites taking advantage of their gardens, before moving on to bigger sources of food on the property.

Other things termites might use as a light snack include trees, fences, mulch, and firewood. That’s why it’s important to keep the foundation of your home clear of anything that termites might use as an appetizer.

Moisture is also important, so keeping leaky hoses, puddles, or anything damp away from the foundation of your house is another way to help deter termites.

Dugas Can Give You Peace of Mind

If you see signs of termites on your Baton Rouge or New Orleans property, or if you just want to know for sure that they aren’t already hard at work, request a free consultation.

Termites are termites, right? Well, sort of!

Sure, all termites are on the hunt for food and water. And unfortunately, food is often found in the form of your home. But knowing what kind of termites are behind an infestation is important, as it helps us create a treatment and prevention plan that will successfully eradicate the problem.

Two kinds of termites are prevalent in Southern Louisiana: Formosan and Native Subterranean.

Knowing the difference can help you spot an infestation and prevent damage.

Formosan termites: the tough guys

Originally hailing from Asia, Formosan termites (Coptotermes Formosanus) are common across the southern states, with sightings as far north as the Canadian border. Fierce defenders of their territory, Formosan termites are fast acting and aggressive. Preferring warm, damp climates, they reproduce quickly. Colonies have up to 350,000 workers, and a queen can lay up to 1,000 eggs in one day!

These termites build their nests in the soil, and make mud tubes to bring food and moisture to their colonies. Preventing Formosan termite infestations means keeping moisture away from your home’s foundation, so properly functioning gutters and downspouts are important. Good ventilation in crawl spaces reduces humidity, and most importantly, eliminate any wood contact with the soil.

A mature Formosan termite colony can cause serious structural damage to a home in as little as six months. Prevention is key with this species.

Native subterranean termites

Native subterranean termites (Reticulitermes) also live in colonies underground and spend their days searching for food. They are found throughout the U.S. in every state but Alaska, making them much more common than the Formosan termite.

Like their Formosan cousins, native subterranean termites build nests in damp soil, making mud tubes to transport food and moisture to their colony. They eat anything containing cellulose, with sharp, scissor-like jaws that can collapse a building entirely if an infestation goes unchecked.

You may not be able to identify which type of termites are swarming in your yard, but either species can cause damage very quickly. If you see winged termites around your home, they’re looking for a new place to live. Make sure your home and property are protected by calling us to inspect, prevent, and remove termites before they cause real trouble.

Spring is around the corner, and along with the warmer weather, pests will soon come out of the woodwork. Of these pests, the termite in particular is one you don’t want to mess with!

Is your home protected from these cellulose-chewing, destructive intruders? Here’s what you need to know about them and how you can keep them at bay.

Termite Types and The Damage They Cause

Formosan

Formosan termites originate from China and Taiwan, and live underground. Brought over from military ships during the 1940s, they are one of the most destructive types of termites. Their colony can grow up to a million members, causing great structural damage in a short span of time.

Nothing stands in their way: they are able to chew through PVC pipes, metal, and electric power lines, in order to get through to any cellulose material. Today, they are mostly found in the South, including Louisiana.

Eastern Subterranean Termites

Eastern Subterranean termites thrive in moisture. They build their nests in soil and wet wood, and make their way to above-ground wood by building mud tunnels.

An infestation of termites can mean a million of these critters chewing on your building’s foundation at once, which can cause devastating damage as a result. Subterranean termites can be found in all parts of the US except Alaska, though they are more commonly found in the humid and tropical areas.

Dampwood

True to its name, the dampwood termite loves moisture. That’s why they are usually found in wood that’s located near a water source, like leaky plumbing.

Larger than other types of termites, they do not need soil to thrive, and are usually found in the Pacific Northwest.

Dry wood

Dry wood termites are the exact opposite of dampwood termites. Even without moisture, they can thrive for a long period of time because they get water from the digestion of cellulose.

Dead trees, structural timbers, stored lumber, and hardwood floors are common nesting sites, which is also where they cause serious damage! However, they are smaller in size, which means that the damage they cause is at a slower rate as compared to the dampwood termite.

Look out for them in the early spring and summer, especially in humid states like California, Florida, Hawaii, Mississippi and our home of Louisiana.

Prevention Steps

Now that you know what kind of termites you are up against, what can you do about it?

Call in a Professional for an Inspection

Many signs of termites are easy to miss, especially to an untrained eye. A professional will be able to conduct a thorough inspection. Whether it’s crumbling drywall, small holes in any wood structures, sagging floors or doors, or insect wings, these are telltale signs that they will be able to pick up on.

The best way to remain termite-free is to get a professional to make regular inspections. With their training in termite behavior and biology, they will be able to treat and prevent termite infestations in a timely manner.

Consider Professional Treatments

Sentricon is applied in the form of baits placed around the termites’ underground mud tunnels. It prevents the termite from molting, which leads to its eventual death. Similarly, the termite passes the poison to the rest of the colony after it comes into contact with the colony.

Whether you suspect you have a termite problem, or simply want to prevent an infestation, it’s always wise to call on trusted professionals. Contact us today for a quote!

Termites can do some incredible damage to wood structures. Worst of all, they do this quickly, efficiently and without many homeowners even knowing that it is happening.

Termites are present in 49/50 states

These insects are found throughout the United States, excluding Alaska as they cannot live in extremely cold conditions. And they are a serious problem. In fact, it is estimated that termites cause over $50 billion worth of property damage in the United States annually.

They can cause serious damage

If undiscovered and left unchecked, termites can be extremely destructive. Because of their small size and the fact that they eat wood from the inside out, they are also very difficult to spot. This is especially the case if you do not know what you are looking for and can’t recognize evidence of their handiwork. This can have significant consequences for a homeowner, especially if they are found in major structural points within the home.

Many lenders require a termite inspection

Because of the damage these and other wood boring insects can cause, many lenders across the United States insist that a thorough inspection is carried out on a property before any sale is finalized and before any mortgage is agreed to.

A wood destroying insect inspection can help

This is where a thorough wood destroying insect inspection can help. Carried out by registered pest control company professionals who generate a relevant report, this inspection can identify current invasions or evidence of previous ones that have already been dealt with. This inspection and subsequent report will offer peace of mind to all important parties in the sale of a property; the seller, buyer and realtor. Contact us today.

Although not always a requirement, having a house checked for termites is an extremely good idea, especially when the house is in the process of being sold. As a realtor, you have probably witnessed a few cases where problems were uncovered after a sale goes through… and it can be ugly.

In the case of termites, these insects are found in practically every state in the United States and can cause havoc if not dealt with promptly. Being so, it is good to take preventative measures such as having the home undergo a wood destroying insect inspection (WDIR).

What is the Wood Destroying Insect Report?

In order to identify the presence of wood destroying insects such as termites, there is a Wood Destroying Insect Inspection that can be conducted which is reported on an official form. This inspection is actually required in order to get certain types of loans so you may have heard your buyers talking about this or having it conducted.

In our guide written specifically for those in the real estate industry, you can learn more about what exactly this inspection entails and who to contact in order to request it.

Why it’s important?

This inspection and report is important in order for a transparent sale to go through. Each home undergoes an inspection for plumbing, electrical, etc., but oftentimes the presence of wood destroying insects isn’t automatically included.

This can leave disgruntled buyers coming back to you and the seller after the sale ready to file a lawsuit because they weren’t aware of the issue. To prevent any issues and to ensure all your sales go through seamlessly, recommending the WDIR is a good idea. This will prevent problems, and increase the amount of happy clients that refer you to their friends and family.

One thing you should know about termites is that you can never let your guard down.

Even in the fall and winter?

Yes, even in the fall and winter.

Termites will dwell in and munch away at your home at whatever time/season they see fit.

Here’s everything you need to know:

The Only Thing Termites Change in the Winter is Their Routine

Termites stay active during the winter, but their routine changes. They move deeper into the ground so that they can stay warm. Because summer food sources might die due to cold weather, alternate tunnels are dug. These tunnels are deeper and are used to get termites from point A to B—which is always near or in your home. Make note that if you home is warm during the fall and winter, termites might not deviate too much from their summer patterns.

Queens Lay Fall and Winter Eggs So Colonies Will Continue to Grow

Termite queens lay eggs year-round and at a steady rate. This means that termite colonies will not only stay active but continue to grow during the fall and winter. This is especially true in Louisiana where hot weather can last well into December—we all remember last year when we couldn’t tell the difference between Christmas and Independence Day.

Finding Termites in Your Home During the Fall and Winter is Possible

Termites can be found in your home’s walls, foundation, and other sheltered areas during the fall and winter. It’s possible that you will find them. If/when you do, it’s best to contact a termite control company right away. They are the trained professionals that will know what to do to solve your problem.

One thing that you won’t see during the winter is swarming termites. This is something that’s reserved for the warmer months—usually March-November.

A Mature Colony Can Damage Your Home Regardless of the Season

Maturity is the number one determinant in a colony’s ability to damage your home. A two to four-year-old colony can damage your home in the fall and winter. As previously mentioned, the colony can also multiply. This is a problem—termite damage substantially increases with colony growth.

The Most Common Signs of Termite Damage Can Be Seen Year-Round

You should look for the following key signs of termites:

• Ceiling/wall discoloration
• Sagging sheetrock
• Buckling floors
• Loose tiles
• Bubbled floors
• Holes in drywall
• Crumbling wood
• Hallow windows and/or doors

If you find any of these signs, you should contact a termite control company. They can inspect your home and find out if termites are actually present. If they are, the control company can take steps to eliminate the termites from your home as soon as possible.

Preventative Measures Can Be Taken Year-Round

Termite prevention can be taken year-round. You should:

• Seal all water and gas lines
• Get rid of all cellulose material—it’s a popular food source
• Fix leaky appliances
• Make sure no water is pooling in or around your home

While these are great preventative measures, you should know that nothing protects your home more than treatment by a professional termite control company. These companies know everything there is to know about termites and will do what it takes to protect your home.

Conclusion—What You Now Know

Termites are active during the fall and winter. It’s important to take preventative measures to protect your home. It’s also important that you keep an eye out for signs of termites and/or termite damage. If signs are present, contact us as soon as possible.

If cells are the building blocks of life, then consider cellulose as the building block of wood.

Unfortunately, termites absolutely love to feed on cellulose. They prefer to feed on natural living things that contain cellulose, such as tree stumps, limbs, and branches. They also love to eat building materials that are made of cellulose materials, such as structural wood foundation, wooden furniture, and wooden fixtures. This is why termites should not only be a cause of concern for the private homeowner; these pests should also be a concern for business owners who own a building establishment and want to preserve it for a long time.

You Need Help When These Termites Infest Your Business

There are four types of termites that can wreak havoc to your office building or business establishment:

• Dampwood – Dampwood termites live in places that contain high moisture content. These kind of termites are rarely found inside a building, because it does not contain enough moisture or water content. And if indeed they can be found inside a building, they are most likely living near where the water source is, such as leaky plumbing. They are larger in size compared to the other types of termites, and do not have to be in contact with the soil in order to survive. Dampwood termites are usually found in the Pacific Northwest.

• Drywood – Unlike dampwood termites, drywood termites need minimal moisture. Their main source of food is cellulose from wood. They can tolerate very dry conditions for an extended period of time because they live off from the water that comes from the digestion of cellulose. They find homes among dead trees, stored lumber, structural timbers, or hardwood floors, which is why they cause severe damage to both homes and commercial buildings that are made of wood.

Drywood termites are smaller than subterranean termites, so the damage they can cause is at a much slower rate than the latter. They swarm in early spring and summer, and can be found in humid states such as California, Hawaii, Florida, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

• Subterranean – Subterranean termites can nest on the soil and wet wood to get the moisture they need. If the wood material they want to infest is not attached to soil, they will build mud tunnels in order to reach the above-ground wood.

Infestation by subterranean termites can be devastating to a building’s foundation because there can be as many as 1,000,000 termites within a colony. Subterranean termites can be found all throughout the US except in Alaska, although they are rare in colder states. They are usually found within the humid and tropical regions of the US.

• Formosan – Formosan termites are a kind of subterranean termites that live underneath the ground. As their name implies, Formosan termites originated from China and Taiwan, and entered the US mainland through military ships during the 1940s.

Formosan termites are the most dangerous kind of termites because they form the largest colony of up to a million members and can cause structural damage to a building in a short period of time. What makes Formosan subterranean termites dangerously lethal is that they can chew their way through thin sheets of metal, PVC pipes, and electric power lines just to get through to the cellulose material that is on the other side. They are mostly found in the southern part of the US, including Louisiana.

The Commercial Treatment Difference

Hiring a pest control company that offers commercial services is useful because they offer a comprehensive range of treatments suited for a business. A company that offers basic pest control services can be enough to accommodate a residential client’s concern, but might not be able to fully meet the needs and demands of a commercial client.

When hiring a full-service pest control company, the job doesn’t end with the pest being eradicated. The client is also educated on how to prevent pests from entering their building in the future, and follow ups from the pest control company are expected to fully ensure the building remains pest-free.

Professional Treatments

These treatments are exclusively offered by professionals.

• Sentricon – Available exclusively from professionals, Sentricon works by placing baits all around the termites’ underground mud tunnels. The bait is a chitin synthesis inhibitor, which prevents the termites from moulting and causing their eventual death. When a termite comes into contact with the bait, it will share and pass the poison around with other termites within the colony.

Keep your business and building protected-contact us today!

Termites are one of the worst pests out there for homeowners to deal with.

Unlike larger vermin such as mice, rats, or even other insects, the danger that termites represent is increased because it can be very difficult to tell that they are even present in a home, and often not until it is too late to prevent a lot of the damage that they have caused.

In this article, we will discuss how recent weather has affected termites, what homeowners in the southern U.S. can expect in terms of termites, and what treatment options are out there to deal with termite infestations.

Termites thriving in warmer conditions

The main things that termites need to thrive are warmth and moisture. During the colder parts of the year, termites burrow into the ground in order to escape the cold.

The harsher winter is, the further into the ground the termites have to burrow, and the longer it takes for the ground to thaw. By extension, it also takes the termites much longer to surface.

When the winter is exceptionally mild, like it was this past year, then termites can become active much quicker. Additionally, flooding like we recently experienced has given termites exactly what they need to swarm: warmth and moisture.

Unfortunately, even if your building wasn’t damaged or isn’t in a location known for termite activity, the prime termite conditions may have changed as termites grow more numerous and start looking for new places to feed.

A cautionary tale: southern Florida

Let’s look at an area with weather like ours, but is dealing with a more serious problem. Southern Florida, unfortunately, has prime conditions for termites, and the recent weather patterns have only exacerbated the degree to which termites are comfortable infesting homes.

This is particularly important because the state is home to a large variety of invasive termite species. These include the Formosan subterranean termite, the Asian subterranean termite, and the West Indian dry wood termite.

Each of these species of termite pose a pretty serious threat to homeowners, and the Formosan and Asian subterranean termites cause around $32 billion worth of damage worldwide every year.

Researchers have predicted that Florida is such an ideal location for termites that subterranean termite activity will expand to such a degree that by 2040, half the structures in southern Florida will be at risk of infestation.

Why should this matter to us? The termite species that are affecting Florida homes are already here, and travel and weather patterns are increasing this trend. In other words: Louisiana is next on the menu!

How to prevent infestations

One of the biggest termite prevention methods that people often miss is to remain vigilant even when you aren’t dealing with an infestation.

One of the reasons that termites can cause so much damage is that they often remain undetected until something incidental reveals that they’re present in a home.

Keep an eye on places that they’ll infest first, especially beneath wooden siding or in places where wood is in contact with soil or is dark, warm, and wet.

Other things you can do to prevent termites from spreading into your home is to reduce humidity in crawlspaces and other dark areas, avoid letting moisture accumulate near the foundation, use mulch sparingly, especially near the foundation and, of course, consider having your home professionally treated by pest control experts.

Dugas treatment options

Dugas Pest Control offers comprehensive options for termite prevention and removal in the greater Baton Rouge, New Orleans, St. Tammany, and Lafayette areas. We offer three general services:

• preconstruction treatment
• post-construction treatment
• baiting systems.

Pre and post construction treatments work in the same kind of way. Both of them rely on, which is a pesticide that was specifically developed to kill termites.

In pre-construction treatments, it’s applied into the foundation of a structure and the soil around it. This provides immediate protection for a building as it is being constructed.

In post construction treatments, it works pretty similarly, except that it is applied directly to the foundation with supplementary treatments in the soil around the foundation.

Finally, baiting systems are used for effective long term protection.

Termites are a scary and potentially costly problem to have to deal with as a homeowner, but like many other pests, they can be dealt with using a bit of forethought and planning.

Whether you live in southern Louisiana or another state with a high termite population, vigilance is the key to stopping termite infestation before they’re allowed to become more expensive and time consuming than they were already.

Termites are a particularly annoying and dangerous pest to deal with. One thing that is so irritating about them is that unlike many pests which are much larger, they can easily cause structural damage to a wooden building. The worst part is that you might not notice that it’s happening until it’s too late.

However, one thing about termites that people have come to expect is that removing them usually means they won’t return unless you are very lax with preventative measures.

There is, however, a species of termite that this doesn’t apply to – the Formosan termite, which is now threatening homes in in several regions of the country. In this article, we’ll take a look at what makes this termite so difficult to get rid of.

Damage caused by Formosan termites

It is estimated that Formosan termites alone cause around 100 million dollars of damage every year in warm, humid locations like ours. In one frustrating case, a homeowner dealt with three separate infestations that occurred one after the other; spreading from a windowsill to underneath the baseboards of almost the entire house’s ground floor.

This isn’t an uncommon story where Formosan termites are concerned, as they are able to spread fast and far throughout a home or region. Once an infestation has occurred, it is incredibly difficult to completely remove them. This isn’t to say that it is impossible – just that it is a whole lot better to prevent them from ever getting inside your home in the first place if you can.

Where do Formosans thrive?

Formosan termites are an invasive species in the Carolinas, the Gulf South, and similar regions which landed in the United States in the 1950s. They were accidentally brought in shipping containers from Asia.

Formosan termites are incredibly hardy, and they can thrive anywhere that is moist, dark, and vaguely woody. They can live on the cellulose in soil, but they greatly prefer wood for its nutritional value to them.

Termites of all kinds thrive in situations where wood meets soil or other wood, and which are dark and moist. This means they scout out basements, crawlspaces, windowsills, and anywhere with stagnant air, a lack of light, and a potential connection to the soil are present.

What to look for

Formosan termites can be difficult to detect and even more difficult to get rid of. However, they can be identified by the fine grain like powder they leave behind as they mine through the wood in their straw-like tunnels.

Additionally, if a house nearby has been infested, it is highly likely that yours might be dealing with an infestation, too. Formosan termites are incredibly resilient and as if their species weren’t annoying enough, they can fly to travel to new places.

Once they have been established somewhere, their colonies spawn queens who lay around two thousand eggs per day. Congrats, Queen Mother, it’s a bouncing baby infestation!

Prevention

Termite prevention often relies on treating wood with chemicals that kill termites or drive them off somehow. Conversations are ongoing about the complete environmental impact of this practice, but it is one of the only effective methods of preventing Formosan termites.

Besides requiring careful handling, these treatments require a lot of planning and set up, and involve drilling into baseboards in order to create barriers against termite invasion. Due to the difficulty, not to mention the possible destruction of your home if this treatment is applied incorrectly, it is much better to leave this sort of thing to the professionals.

Formosan termites might be scary, but there are definitely things you can do to prevent them from infesting your home. If you live in an area where Formosan termites are active, you can start working on preventative measures now. Contact the termite professionals at Dugas Pest Control today for an inspection, and keep your home the safe place it is for you and your family!