Although termites are a world-wide problem, many people surprisingly know very little about the insects that might be eating their home from the foundation up. Knowledge is critical in controlling and preventing termites from eating your house out from under your feet. Below are ten termite facts that will help you understand these pests and give you the information to better protect your property.
10 Termite Facts You Might Not Know
- Termites Never Sleep
Termites are extremely busy insects. Eating through the foundation of an entire house is no small job, and termites take their jobs very seriously. A termite colony works/feeds 24/7/365 with no breaks. Although it seems impossible, thermites can live up to 2 years without a single rest.
- Termites Have Been Around for Ages
Although the average lifespan of a termite is 1-2 years, as a species they are ancient. Termites are closely related to the cockroach, which means that they both descended from a common ancestor that lived before dinosaurs roamed the earth. Scientists estimate that termites ancestors could be as old as 300 million years. It is believed that termites, as we know them today, emerged during the Cretaceous period, which was about 130 million years ago.
- Termites Can’t See
With the exception of the Queen and King termites, most of the termite colony do not have eyes. Since they spend their entire life underground, they don’t need sight to navigate.
- Termites Are Good For The Environment, But Not Your Home
When termites aren’t eating tunnels through someone’s home, they are useful for the environment. They help decompose plants and wood by eating through their tough fibers, which speeds up the process of decomposition. This makes the soil more fertile and promotes new growth. The termite’s tunnels also aerate the ground for new plants.
- A Queen Termite Will Lay Millions of Eggs in Its Lifetime
The queen termite’s one job is to populate the colony. A single queen could lay up to 30,000 eggs in just one day. Because the queen is so well protected and cared for by the rest of the colony, the queen can live for more than ten years in the right conditions. If we do the math, that means one queen can lay 109,500,000 eggs in a lifetime. This is one of the reasons that AZEX Pest Solutions recommends immediate treatment if termites are spotted on your property. It doesn’t take long for termites to grow their colony, which can make extermination much more difficult.
- Some People Eat Termites
In Singapore and surrounding places, termites are considered a delicacy. They can be served in many ways and preserved in the wine.
- The Worker Termites Have A Big Job
As part of a termite colony, each member has a job to do. Some termites take care of the queen, others look after the eggs and larvae, a large team goes out in search of food, and still, others work to build the colony’s nest. The termites in charge of these essential functions are called worker termites. Workers can be male or female, unlike other insects, such as bees, where the workers are all female. These worker termites form the majority of the colony and will probably be the first, and possibly only, termites you see in a home inspection. These are the termites that cause damage to your home AND the ones that could carry the bait back to the rest of the colony.
- Bait Systems Are Proven to Work
There are many methods out there that promise to rid your home of termites. Some of these methods are more effective than others. AZEX Pest Solutions is proud to offer two types of treatments. The proactive treatment, Sentricon, provides year-round protection from termites for your entire property. The Sentricon bait system kills the entire colony by providing a substance that termites bring back to their colony and spread until the colony is eliminated. Once the termites are gone, the system continues to work by repelling other termites from the area.
AZEX is so confident that our treatments work we offer renewable lifetime warranties on our termite treatments!
- The Colony Has Protection
The soldier termites are ready to protect the colony. They have large mandibles to fight off intruders. The most common intruder to a termite colony is ants. These soldiers act as guards and go out with the worker termites on foraging expeditions and are a part of any emergency where the tunnels require repair. These guard termites make up about 15% of the colony and could be seen during an inspection.
- Termite Treatments Don’t Have to Be Hard
With Azex Pest Solutions a termite treatment is easy and painless. Termites can be eliminated entirely and discouraged from coming back with our easy and effective treatment options. Reactive and proactive treatments are vital in making sure termites are gone, and stay away for good! Find out if you qualify for a termite warranty and get a free inspection today! Contact our experienced technicians at 877-445-2847!