No one wants termites in or near their home. Unfortunately, these annoying and dangerous pests are found all over the world. There are termites in Omaha, Nebraska, just as there are termites throughout the United States. That means that you need to be armed with the knowledge to combat this pest.
What Are Termites?
The first step towards getting rid of your termites is knowing what they are and how to identify them. Termites are insects. They eat and tunnel through wood. This is why they are so dangerous. They do not spread diseases to humans. Instead, they eat through your wood and other organic materials, which can cause irrevocable damage to your home. It can also create an unsafe living situation.
There are many different species of termites. Subterranean termites are the most common in Omaha. They will be between 1/8 and 3/8 inch long. Subterranean termites vary in color. The workers, which is what you will likely encounter, are cream-colored. The soldier termites are also pale, but they have a brown head. And the main reproductive female termites will be either brown or black.
You will likely encounter the worker or soldier termites in your home. Yet, seeing a termite at all is fairly rare. Instead, you are much more likely to encounter their signs. These include:
- Mud tunnels along your baseboards or wood beams.
- Swarms of winged termites. Subterranean termites swarm when they are looking for a new nesting location. You may just encounter the wings they shed after they decided to invade your home.
- Their droppings will look like small piles of sawdust. These will likely be found underneath the mud tunnels, which provides just another sign that you have a termite problem.
Why Do You Get Termites?
Termites eat wood. Subterranean termites live in the soil. They then travel from their nest to their food source—your home. If your Omaha home has a yard for the subterranean termites to live and a house full of wood, they will be very happy.
Termites also prefer homes with water sources. They, like living things, need water to survive. This is a major reason to keep up with leaks.
How To Prevent Termites?
You cannot remove all of the wood in your home. But, there are a few things you can do to make your house and yard less attractive to termites.
- Fix any leaky pipes or other convenient water sources in your home.
- Keep woodpiles at least 100 yards from structures on your property. Even if termites live in this wood, they will not be near enough to your home to invade.
- Keep wood and wood products from the foundation of your home. You should even plant any plants at least a few feet from the foundation.
- If your area is prone to swarming, turn off outdoor lights at night in the summer. This is a swarming season in Nebraska.
- Contact Beeline Pest Control. Our technicians are termite removal experts. We provide service within four hours if you call before 2 p.m. We also provide a free, zero-obligation quote.
Termites are a serious problem. Don’t let them take over your Omaha home. Contact Beeline Pest Control today.