Fall is a great time to treat for termites! If you think that termites are going dormant just because you’ve flipped to a new page of your calendar, you should talk to a termite control expert. He’ll tell you that termites do not hibernate. Termite control services can’t take a break to watch the leaves fall.
Even though our area doesn’t have as distinct a seasonal change as more northerly regions, termite companies still love this season. Most termite control professionals love doing inspections in the fall for many reasons. It’s a lot easier to inspect attics and crawl spaces when the temperatures are a little cooler. But even setting personal comfort aside, the view is a lot better.
Many of our Florida foundation plantings will stay evergreen but some will begin to fade when the season shifts. Others will leave their growth phase and go into a resting phase where there won’t be as many new sprouts. This is the perfect time to do termite inspections.
One of the most telling signs of termite activity is the mud tube. As subterranean creatures, termites can’t survive long exposure to the drying heat of the sun. They build earthen tunnels to protect them as they travel over the surface. These tubes are about the diameter of a pencil or less and the same color as your soil so they can be hard to spot in a forest of foliage.
Checking these small signs will help cut back on a termite colony’s spring activity. That activity includes the spring swarm! Since our part of Florida has mild winters, termites won’t need to dig down deep into the earth to maintain a comfortable temperature. They’ll start swarming as soon as the temperature and moisture levels feel right.
Swarming is a termite colony’s way of reproducing. Winged alates will take to the air looking for mates. The mated pairs will start new colonies. An easy fall and winter means a very active spring and that can mean serious damage to your home’s structural wood.
Termite exterminators can help you break this cycle by applying treatments in the fall. If you can reduce or control the growth of the colony before the swarming season, you can cut short the entire life cycle of the colony. That’s the first step towards eradicating it!
Start breaking the cycle this fall. Call Slug-A-Bug today and make an appointment for a termite inspection and treatment.