Termites pose no danger to humans, but they love to eat wood. They love it so much that they cost home and business owners in the U.S. $5 billion each year. Most termite activity remains hidden, either underground or in the walls of your home. But just because you don’t see them doesn’t mean they’re not there, actively chewing their way through your home’s wood.
However, between March and June, you may actually see termite activity in the Baltimore area. That’s when termites come out in large swarms from mature colonies. If you happen to see a swarm, it’s a sign you may have a termite problem on your property.
What Is Termite Season?
Like many other animal species, termites come “in season” during the spring months. When temperatures warm up, male and female reproductive termites leave mature colonies for the express purpose of mating and starting new colonies.
Called alates, the termites who do this job have wings that allow them to fly in search of new locations. They emerge from nests in large groups, so you may see several thousand flying around outside or even in your home. Conversely, worker and soldier termites are not winged and remain hidden from view in underground colonies or above-ground carton nests.
If a mating pair finds a hospitable location, they’ll set out creating a new nest that will soon be teeming with termites. That’s why it’s important to make your Baltimore-area property as unattractive as possible to termite swarmers.
Termite Prevention In Baltimore
Prevention is the key to keeping termites off your property and out of your home. These tips will help your Baltimore-area home stay termite-free.
1. Reduce Food Sources: Termite swarmers look for a plentiful food supply when selecting a site for a new nest. Take the following steps to reduce termite food sources:
- Don’t let the wooden parts of decks, fencing, garages, or other exterior structures come into contact with the soil.
- Eliminate brush piles, lumber, stacked wood, and other wood materials or move them away from your home.
- Remove rotted stumps, logs, and trees.
- Store crates, pallets, wood boxes, cardboard, magazines, or other wooden and paper products off the ground.
- Do not bury wood on your property.
2. Eliminate Moisture: Most species of termites love moist environments and are attracted to damp soil. To prevent termite infestations, take the following steps:
- Inspect your gutter system and remove blockages or have repairs made so water drains appropriately.
- Keep irrigation systems in good working order and run the sprinklers in the morning so the sun will dry the excess moisture throughout the day.
- Eliminate excess vegetation in your landscaping so air can flow and dry the topsoil after watering or precipitation.
- Address any standing water issues on your property.
- Fix leaky plumbing, such as spigots, hoses, and pipes.
3. Reduce Entry Points: Don’t make it easy for winged termites to access your home. These steps will help prevent a new nest from forming:
- Patch cracks or holes in your foundation that might give termites a way inside.
- Seal gaps around pipes and wires that penetrate your foundation walls.
- Make sure there is no wood-to-soil contact around the base of your home.
Termite Control in Baltimore
If you think you have a termite colony on your property, a professional pest control service is the only way to address it. Phenom Pest Protection offers several options for termite elimination and ongoing preventive treatment.
When you trust us to provide termite prevention services, we’ll inspect your property, install bait stations, and monitor your property so it stays termite-free. Call us today for reliable termite control in Baltimore!
