Termites are a homeowner’s worst nightmare. These wood-boring pests aren’t only gross, but they can cause extensive damage that requires costly repairs. In the worst-case scenario, termite damage can completely ruin the structural integrity of your home. Needless to say, if you’re sure that you have a termite infestation or you live in a location where termites are a known problem and you want to prevent a termite infestation, then contacting a local pest control company for treatment is a worthwhile investment. You might be wondering, what is the best time of the year for termite treatment?
When is the Best Time for Termite Treatment?
Read on to learn more about the best time for termite treatment so that you can properly protect your biggest investment: your home.
When to Schedule Termite Treatment
While termites are more likely to be visible during the springtime in most regions, the truth is, they are always hard at work. These pests are active 365 days a year, which means that termite prevention is something that you need to be on top of all year long.
Some pest control professionals would say that any time is the best time to arrange for prevention methods. While that may be true, in terms of a specific time of the year, winter is the ideal time to implement a termite prevention plan.
Why Winter?
Why is winter the ideal time for termite treatment? Winter is the best time to treat termites largely because termite activity tends to be more predictable during the fall and winter months as opposed to the spring and summer. This is due to the colder weather. While it is true that termites are active year-round, like most living things, they tend to slow down when the weather is colder and the days are shorter.
During the spring and summer months, when the weather is warmer, termites are more likely to travel farther away from their nests in search of food. During the winter months, they usually stay closer to home, which means that they’re more likely to select termite bait that is placed within close proximity to their homes and then bring it back to their nests.
With the above said, if you want to heighten your termite prevention measures and prevent seeing swarms of termites in the spring and summer and more widespread damage to your home, you’ll have the best results if you arrange for termite treatment during the winter.
How Termite Colonies Work
When discussing termite infestations and prevention, it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of how these pests work. Similar to bees, termites live in colonies. Also like bees, termite colonies are centered around a queen. There are several other members of the colony, and all of them serve the queen. Members of termite colonies include:
The Workers
In most colonies, the workers are the largest group. Not only are there a lot of them, but they are also highly destructive. The workers travel from the nest, building tunnels out of mud, feces, and saliva, which they travel through in order to find food.
Soldiers
As you can probably guess, the soldiers are the colony’s protectors. They are larger than other members of the colony, and their only role is to keep the colony safe and protect it from attacks. Additionally, soldier termites lead the colony to war when they attack other termite colonies and ants.
Reproducers
There are also reproducer termites. They feature wings and will swarm, mate, and form new colonies of termites.
The Queen
The queen is the largest termite in the colony in terms of size, and importance. She serves the most important role in the colony, and thus, she is the most important member of the colony: she lays the eggs, and she can lay thousands each and every day. All other members of the termite colony serve her. Therefore, the other termites protect and feed her to ensure the survival of the colony.
Given the fact that there are so many different members of a termite colony, coupled with the fact that the queen can lay thousands of eggs daily, it’s no wonder why termite infestations can grow to exponential proportions in a very short period of time.
Treat Termites in the Winter
Whether you are positive you have termites or you suspect you have them, the best time to treat the problem is as soon as you detect or suspect a problem. With that said, however, for the most effective results, the ideal time to treat termites in the United States is during the winter months.
Hire a Professional Company ABC Termite & Pest Control – Pest Control Omaha & Lincoln
Find a reputable pest control company in Omaha or Lincoln that you TRUST and ask about their termite inspection and pest management services. You may think you are saving money however, a single misapplication could have significant and adverse or deadly consequences for you or your loved ones. Contact ABC Termite & Pest Control in Omaha & Lincoln, NE to talk with an exterminator today!
