New Jersey pest control professionals are continuously on the hunt for eastern subterranean termites. Estimates are that one out of five homes or businesses in New Jersey have had, or will have, damage caused by termites as they devour common building timber. Termites are a serious economic problem throughout New Jersey, causing millions of dollars in damage each year.
Within a termite colony there are different castes which include the queen, king, winged reproductive (future queens and kings), soldiers and worker termites. Each termite is interdependent upon each other for survival. The queen is extremely large in comparison to her off-spring. Under ideal circumstances, the queen can live up to 25 years and will produce more than 2,000 eggs each day. The queen lives deep within the termite colony, with the king in the central chamber, and is tended to by the worker termites. Soldier termites look different than other termites in the colony. They are orange colored with rectangular shaped heads that contain pinchers which they use to crush invading ants, their main enemy.
Worker termites make up the majority of the subterranean termite nest. They are small, translucent in color, soft bodied, sterile, and have no wings. They live approximately two years, and despite being blind, they work 24 hours a day. The worker termites are the ones that are responsible for the damage caused to wood. Workers construct tunnels, repair and enlarge the nest, tend to the nymphs until they mature, groom each other, and feed the soldiers, king and queen.
The “swarmers” or “reproductives” are the future king and queen termites. They typically surface in the spring when a termite colony has become well established. Not good fliers, once they emerge, they are swept by the wind in large numbers over a wide area to find a suitable mate from another colony.
Swarming termites are an indication that you are in need of a licensed pest control service. Termites are sneaky creatures that damage the interior of wood sources. It is difficult for most people to determine if they have termites invading their home. Allison Pest Control offers a free home pest inspection so that we can properly identify your pest and educate you on how to help keep the pest away.