Termites are social insects with accurate hierarchy and sharp nature for self-protection. They belong to Phylum: Arthropoda, the Class: Insecta, and Order: Blattodea, or sometimes called silent destroyer. According to the pestworld, it is found that there are almost 2,000 different species of termites, but all of them create spectacular termite mounds.
Different species have different characteristics but they look somehow similar. Termites are usually a quarter to a half of an inch long. Though termites are small species, termite mounds height can go more than 10 feet.
Here are more things that you should know about termite mounds or termite nests, and reasons why you should care about them.
What is Termite Mound?
A termite mound can be an underground or above-ground part of termites dwelling. Such termite mounds are made of clay, sand, wood chips, soil, and other natural materials that are fixed firmly with the saliva of termite workers.
Usually, the termite mounds can be found in places where the temperature is extreme, i.e. up to 30 °C (86 °F). In dry climate regions, termites bury their mounds below ground level. They need damp air not only for their continued existence but also for their fungal farms. By making termite mounds, these pests can breathe and keep themselves warm and humid.
The working termites fabricate the sticky and oppressive blend for building a mound. The grains of this blend are glued to each other and become tough. Usually, the structure of the mounds is very complex and intricate. There is a broad arrangement of tunnels inside the mound that works as a ventilation system. The tunnels are also used for water access.
The
mounds are tremendously large and are usually 50-100 meters wide. Termites create
a variety of columns, arches, and leaps inside the mound. The most interesting
fact is that termites create such absurd creation being blind. Some of the
popular treatments given be most of the pest control companies to get rid of a
termite mound are Dry Foam, Termidor Liquid, and Sentricon Bait.
Removal of Termites
If
you find termite mounds, what to do then? Finding termites and removing them
does not reduce the problem. Floor beams and crawl space piers are often under
attack by pests which makes termite invasions more pricey and risky over time.
If
you find termite mounds in your home or building then the best approach is to
seek professional help. Managing everything on your own does not help in
the complete removal of termites. The professionals inspect everything in detail
and provide the most appropriate solution for the problem.
Termites and Homes
Termites can cause severe problems for humans. They go deep into the wooden areas of our home and make the place empty and tumbledown. Termites take shelter in wood or lay their eggs on its plane, few of them are even able to eat and digest the material.
Here are four things that termites usually do when they are in your home.
- They look for a splinter. Termites tend to move beside the edges of objects such as pipes, pavement, and building foundations. By carefully inspecting buildings alongside the soil line, termites determine splinters and cracks that allow them to slide into under floors and walls.
- They cause damage to wiring. Different species of termites are different in their characteristics. Damp-wood termites have stronger jaws as compare to other types of termites. With the help of their jaws, they can easily chew the electric wiring of the house and put you in trouble.
- They target damp areas. Always look for termite damage before finalizing a home. Termites require wetness and humidity to survive. They are usually present in damp areas. The pests are frequently drawn to water-damaged wood and lawns in homes.
- They undermine structural reliability. Termites cause serious damage to the structural integrity of the home. Especially the building or houses which are made of wood are unfit to subsist if termites have made mounds in the structure. These tiny creatures feed themselves on the cellulose present in the wood. Due to this, they can easily seek any structure which is made out of the same material.
However, the people who are staying at places that are infested by termite results in the occurrence of different health-related problems in people. Termites cause different skin-related allergies, toxicity, and fungal infections.
Stopping termite infestation is one of the most important jobs of a homeowner. In case you observe this infestation in your home, immediately call for the pest control services for termite treatment application.
How to Handle Termite
Mounds?
Termite
mounds are made of strapping and sturdy material. Breaking the mounds is not an
easy job to do. In most of the cases, a hoe and shovel will be enough. But
sometimes there is a need to use some special mechanical devices to get rid of
mounds.
Always keep this in your mind that if termite infestation does not remove completely from the place then there always remains a chance of recurrence and the bugs can easily rebuild the mound/nest again. There are different methods by using which one can easily get their place protected from termites and mounds.
The
prominent ones are as follows:
1. Use Natural Ways
The use of beneficial nematodes is a natural way of eliminating termite nests. Termite mounds are made of strong material and are tough to break. Beneficial Nematodes are microscopic roundworms. These worms feed on insects like termites, ants, etc. Beneficial Nematodes are not harmful to humans. This method is 100 percent non-toxic and safe. It is an effective method to destroy termite mound.
2. Use Chemical Insecticides
The most common and easiest way to destroy termite mound is through chemical insecticides. This method is effective but unsafe for children and pets. The reason is that the chemicals can easily seep through the soil. The use of repellents, in this case, is, quite effective in the long term. It also provides more safety and protection.
If the termite infestation in your home is small and is limited to a small area, then the use of baited traps is also quite helpful in moving the pests away from their mounds. One can easily get the baited traps from any hardware store. The three most common chemical solutions which are approved for eliminating termites are as follows:
- The use of special kind of liquid pesticides which are specially designed for this purpose.
- A special wood treatment that is normally done to get rid of termites.
- The use of different building materials that are already introduced with a pesticide.
The
chemical insecticides can easily get into the water system and drinking wells
of the house. If this happens, then the dealing is not effectual against the
termites.
3. Use Liquid Termite Barrier
Another helpful solution to destroy termite mound from home is the installation of liquid barriers. This method helps in eliminating termites. The idea behind this concept is to enfold your home in a liquid pesticide barrier that can easily kill termites upon contact. The barrier can be placed easily around specific woodpiles, tree stumps, and wooden structures.
By
using this technique, there is a very high chance that you can easily finish
the entire termite colony due to the transference effect of the toxin.
Transference effect means the poison can be spread easily from one termite to
another which destroys their colony.
4. Use Boric Acid
Boric
acid is also known as Borax. It is extensively available and most often sold in
powder structure. One can easily get it from their local hardware store. The
use of this approach is considered best when it comes to protecting home or
property from termites. The approach is theorized. It affects the metabolic and
digestive systems of pests. The use of boric acid to remove termites from home
is one of the safest approaches. It is much lower in poison and toxicity as
compared to other insecticides. It is also less expensive and easy to use.
The Health Risks of
Pesticides
For most of the people, one of the supreme health risks linked with a termite invasion comes not from the pests, but from the elements or chemicals that might be used to repel or kill them.
Some
homeowners may miscalculate how inaccessible the chemical relevance spot is
from the rest of the residence. Some homeowners may consent to too little time
for chemicals to dispel before they re-enter the home. Before dealing with a
termite infestation, one should consider hiring a pest control specialist to
guarantee that suitable and proper chemicals are used.
Professional Termite
Control Services
The pest problem is not only found at homes but also the commercial places. Such a situation is worse than the residential pest dilemma because it is pricier when it comes to the damages that you experience. The rodent pets, termite nests, and insects hold diverse ailments which are harmful to human health. Different termite control companies provide excellent services to people on demand.
It is important to take care of termite infestation as soon as you find them. The
reason is that termites can cause negative side effects which will cause
contamination and infectivity. If you want to ensure a secure and relaxed
environment for you and your family, then hiring a pest controller to handle
the infestation is the best approach. It is the most effectual and the fastest
way of getting rid of unwanted pests.
After
hiring a professional, you will be able to get personalized planning methods that
are specifically targeted towards the current state of your property. It
involves the consideration of the size of your house and the level of
infestation you are currently experiencing.
Professionals
can work in any weather conditions and are trained enough to manage everything
properly. They can determine the problem completely and apply the most
effective solution for termites. As professionals, they also consider keeping
the environment safe and pest free, and they maintain all laws and regulations regarding
pesticide application and termite control services.
Termite Mound
Architecture
Though
termites are considered harmful pests, engineers and scientists learn a lot
from termite mounds and termite nests. Engineers consider termites as the best
architects. Termite nests are created in the most creative ways, sustaining different
weather conditions and protecting everyone inside with enough food throughout a
month or two.
Mick Pearce, a famous building designer, took his motivation for his high-rise building designs from termite mounds. He observed that termites create their air conditioning systems that spread cool and hot air between the mound and the outside. He was fascinated by the termite’s ingenuity and tried to mimic their structure.
Subterranean
termites can be found in more constant and secure parts of the earth in terms
of the atmosphere. The pests can live under the ground plane preserving the
correct and appropriate level of humidity and temperature. In hot humid
countries, when there is a wet season, there are chances that the underground
mounds can be damaged with rain. Termites, in this case, build tall and stiff
mud mounds that can easily sustain all insensitive and unsympathetic weather
situations.
The Bottom Line
There is a huge diversity of termite species on earth and some of them are producing amazing engineering structures to preserve their own life. Termite mounds, dwelling and their hierarchical fashion of life are of incredibly fanatical concentration among the biologists and scientists, who are trying to explicate these marvels of life.
In terms of protecting your house from termite nests, seeking professional help is the best approach. The pest hitch is not only found at homes but also the business places. There are different pest control companies that provide top pest management and control services to their customers at affordable pricing.