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Billiot Pest Control is a family-owned and operated company that has been in the pest control business since 1937. We're committed to providing services that protect you, your home, or your business from pests--whether they be inside or outside. Whether it's ants running around looking for food, cockroaches on any surface they see fit (including humans), bed bugs hiding anywhere there’s human warmth waiting just below ground level...we aren't afraid! Our team of experts will do everything possible to keep these pesky creatures away so we can ensure our customers feel safe knowing their property will always be free of them.
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House pests are no fun — especially swarming termites. Stay ahead of the swarm this year by knowing the difference between flying termites and flying ants. One is simply a nuisance, and the other is going to cost you.
But what exactly is swarm season?
It occurs when winged male and female termites, called swarmers, fly from their colonies to start new colonies. After landing, they shed their wings and pair with a mate to look for a suitable location to begin a new colony as its king and queen.
When daytime temperatures begin to warm up and rain becomes more frequent, swarmer termites emerge from the colony. This means swarm season can begin as early as late February in coastal Louisiana, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. As the weather continues to warm, swarm sightings spread throughout the South and gradually work their way east into Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee and west into Texas and Arkansas.
It’s easy to assume that the swarm of flying insects are just flying ants. But for many homeowners, the first obvious sign of a termite infestation is a swarm because they are above ground. Most of the time, termites are lurking underground out of sight. At first glance, it's hard to distinguish between ants and termites, so here’s what you need to know.
- Termites have straight antennae, while ants have elbowed antennae.
- Termites have thick, straight waists, while ants have a pinched waist with three distinct body segments.
- Termites have two pairs of wings that are equal in length, while ants have one pair of wings that is long and another pair that is shorter.
Don't make the mistake of thinking your home isn't at risk. Termites don't care if you have a brick home, a log home, a block home or even a home built on a concrete slab. Know what pests you're dealing with this swarm season and call Billiot Pest Control to protect your home today.
| Not all termites are created equal. Termites are social insects whose colonies are divided into castes. Each caste has specific duties that work together to ensure the colony survives and grows.
Workers – Workers make up the overwhelming majority of the colony. They are responsible for foraging for food to feed the rest of the colony, caring for the young and building mud tubes. Workers are the termites that cause damage to homes and other valuable properties made of wood. Mature termite colonies can contain multiple thousands to millions of workers!
Soldiers – Soldiers are the defenders of the colony. Their main job is to protect the colony from natural predators — such as ants and spiders. Soldiers have large, armored heads and powerful jaws meant for defense.
Reproductives – Reproductive pairs, also called alates or swarmers, are the ones with wings that you’d see during swarming season. Male and female swarmers leave their parent colonies (usually in the spring) in groups, with the goal of establishing new colonies.
The queen – The termite queen is the largest and most important colony member because she can lay eggs at a rate of up to one every second. That’s as many as a million eggs in her lifetime! She is large, up to 4 inches long, and can live for a decade or longer under ideal conditions. And unfortunately for homeowners, if the queen dies, there are supplemental reproductive who are ready to step up and keep the colony going – except when you are using the Sentricon® System. Call Billiot Pest Control for more information on Sentricon.
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