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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Mice can enter a home through a dime-sized opening. Signs of a problem include mice droppings, gnaw marks on food and wooden surfaces such as door corners, and scratching or scurrying sounds coming from walls, attics or crawl spaces.
- Billiot Pest Control rodent-proofing recommendations include:
- Seal cracks and holes on the outside of the home, paying special attention to where utilities and pipes enter the home;
- Store firewood at least 20 feet away from the house and five feet off the ground; keep shrubbery and branches cut back from the house;
- Eliminate all sources of moisture, including leaky pipes and clogged drains;
- Keep food including dog and cat food in rodent-proof containers;
- In basements and attics, don't store boxes on the floor;
- Call Billiot Pest Control early to prevent a rodent problem from getting out of hand.
A female mouse can produce up to six babies at a time, require less than a month between births, and produce up to 35 babies in a year.
Not only are rodents notorious carriers of disease and bacteria, they can gnaw through wiring, putting homes at risk for electrical fires.
Most rodent infestations involve the kitchen. Mice urinate constantly, the thought of them contaminating kitchen and food surfaces alone should spur every homeowner to conduct a thorough inspection in and around their house— especially to help prevent food-borne illnesses including Salmonella.
As summer begins to fade, a new season brings different pest challenges. Now is the perfect time to prevent pests from coming indoors with another round of pest-proofing. Use these five tips to keep pests out.
- Reduce entry points
Caulk or seal cracks or holes along the foundation and around windows to keep pests from sneaking indoors.
- Eliminate moisture problems
Pests — including termites — are attracted to moisture, which they need to survive. Clean out clogged gutters to draw water away from your home. On the inside, keep basements, attics and crawl spaces dry and well-ventilated. - Replace weather-stripping
Replacing loose mortar and weather-stripping around the basement foundation and windows not only can help with pests but also keep cold air out of your home. - Eliminate pest shelter around the home
While we all love to snuggle up by the fire on a chilly fall day, we don’t want to harbor pests close to our homes. Store firewood at least 20 feet from the foundation, rake up leaves and keep shrubs well-trimmed so termites don’t have a place to hide. - Inspect items before bringing them indoors
Before bringing items like packages, grocery bags and fall decor indoors, inspect them to ensure no pests are hiding.
What are occasional invaders?
The term occasional invaders is a catchall grouping for pests that invade homes from time to time because outside weather conditions become hostile to their survival.
What types of pests fall into this group?
Occasional invaders include boxelder bugs, centipedes, crickets, earwigs, ladybugs, millipedes, pillbugs, scorpions, silverfish, slugs, springtails and stink bugs, to name a few.
What time of year are occasional invaders most active?
Occasional invaders are active year-round and spend the majority of their time outdoors. However, homeowners tend to notice them more frequently inside during the fall season because they are searching for a place to overwinter.
Can occasional invaders cause problems?
Although occasional invaders may enter structures in large numbers, they are often nothing more than an annoying nuisance. However, there are a few specific pests that can cause non health-related problems. Stink bugs are harmful to the agricultural industry because they destroy crops. Boxelder bugs and ladybugs may exude a defensive fluid when crushed that could stain curtains, drapes, clothing and other fabrics. Silverfish infest paper, particularly wallpaper, books and envelopes, so these materials could become damaged over time.
What can a homeowner do to prevent an occasional invader infestation?
Occasional invader control should begin with the elimination of moist harborage sites around the perimeter of the home, such as leaf piles, mulch and overgrown vegetation. Homeowners should seal possible points of entry into the home with a good quality silicone caulk, paying special attention to cracks in the foundation, utility pipes and wood fascia. Damaged screens on doors and windows should also be repaired. For more information on prevention, check out these five tips to keep occasional invaders out of the home.
