Here on Long Island, termites and associated activity is a frequent problem for homeowners. Termites are responsible for causing millions of dollars in damages per year in both Nassau & Suffolk County. They thrive in the soil beneath your homes and they are known for migrating from house to house. Most noticeable termite activity will take place when the warmer weather arrives, where you’ll see swarmers, wings inside your home and mud tracks on exterior walls. If active termites are present, they can potentially cause large problems. It is very important to contact a termite control specialist to inspect your home, both inside and outside. A homeowner in Huntington, New York had an encounter recently and EcoTech Pest Control mitigated the situation from beginning to end.
Our termite control specialist was sent to a home in Huntington, NY to inspect the interior & exterior of the home for termite activity. During the inspection, mud tracks were visible on the exterior of the home. Mud tracks are created by termite larvae and are typically 1/4″ to 1/2″ wide. They are usually found on concrete or drywall surfaces. These mud tubes or tracks are created for protection. You will usually see them go from the ground to the wooden sill of homes. Also observed was some rot damage on the wooden part of the structure, where the mud tubes were visible. This indicates an active or inactive termite condition. This particular condition was from active termites.
Treatments for termites vary depending on the condition. When active termites are observed, applying monitoring stations and bait stations is required. Four monitoring stations were placed at various points around the exterior of the home. Oftentimes, only 1 or 2 of the monitoring stations will be active. Once active stations are found, bait is placed inside of the stations to work on removing the termites. The non-active stations are left in place for monitoring.
In order to guarantee that termites will stay away, a quarterly treatment and monitoring program was established. Four times per year, the bait and monitoring stations will be checked for activity. Bait will be dropped into the stations where activity is found. In more cases than less, several visits are required to mitigate the termite issue. Regardless, the monitoring program will be keep the situation at bay while potentially saving you thousands of dollars in damages caused by the termites. Along with the termite monitoring program, a general maintenance program was also put in place.
Several months later and there have been no termite issues reported. After our first visit, only 2 stations were active. As noted, bait was applied to the active stations and began working immediately. On our recent quarterly checkup, the termite condition has lessened and no new activity was discovered. The stations will continued to be monitored and treatment will be applied quarterly.
How to Identify a Termite Problem
- Visually inspect the exterior of your home for mud tubes or tracks. Mud tracks do not indicate an active problem. Mud tracks may also be visible on sheet rock surfaces
- Be on the lookout for termite wings on the floor on the interior of your home. Typically, wings will be present in the Spring months
- Check interior studs, sills and flooring for damage. Damage tracks are easy to spot. They will look like ruts or hollowed out trails
- Use a ice pick or screw driver to poke wood surfaces. If you are able to easily penetrate the wood, you likely have termite damage
- Check for wood dust on the surface around exposed wood
Remember, not all wood damage could be caused by termites. Dry rot or water damage will also make wood sills and studs soft and hollowed. If you encounter any of the above conditions or would like to have an inspection, give us a call at (631) 868-7023 and schedule your appointment. Our professionally trained termite inspection specialist will conduct a full survey of your home and provide you with a detailed report.
