Becoming Aware of Termites

March 13-19th is National Termite Awareness Week, and for good cause too. Termites cause more than $5 billion in property damage in the US every year! Though they’re usually associated with tropical climates, termites have been a big problem for Michigan’s forests and homes for a long time. The most common termite in Michigan, the Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes flavipes), is by far the most destructive wood pest in the state.

Considering the property damage and danger they pose, it’s easy to see why a National Termite Awareness Week is important. To do our part, Griffin has put together this primer on the termites of Michigan. Here’s everything you need to know to protect your home from the wood-munching monsters: how termites work, what attracts them, and how you can keep them out.

white worker termitesWhat They Are

Termites are an insect classified in the same family as cockroaches. Like bees or ants, they live together in large, eusocial colonies. These colonies are made up of three “classes” of termite: workers, soldiers, and the reproducing “king” and “queen.” Only worker termites eat wood and cause property damage… though you don’t want soldiers or reproducers around, either.

Worker termites and are white and measure about ¼ of an inch long. Soldiers are a similar size but have longer heads and jaws. The “king” and “queen” termites are dark brown or black, and measure ⅜ to ½ of an inch long. They’re solely responsible for repopulating the colony, so any pest control targeting termites should prioritize getting rid of this termite “royalty.”

Termites only leave their colonies to mate. Young termite reproducers pair off and form swarms, and then search for suitable places to live. When a desirable location is found, the “King” and “Queen” excavate a mating chamber and proceed to start a new colony. In early stages, Queens can only lay 10-20 eggs, but if the colony takes off, they may lay up to 1000 eggs a day!

Termite pairsWhy They Infest Houses

Termites are famous for eating wood, including the wood used in manmade structures. This diet helps termites get all of the resources they need to complete their growth and mating cycles. Wood from homes provides them with cellulose, sugars, and starches. Termites can even derive all the protein they need from eating moist wood, which is part of why they’re partial to wet or humid places.

Along with wood to eat, termites require moisture, warmth, and shelter. Colonies often flock to homes because they can provide all of these. After eating, termites have to return to soil to refresh the moisture they lose. They build elaborate tunnel systems through wood and dirt, leading between outside and inside. Colonies typically live in hollowed-out spaces connected to their tunnels.

Termite colonyWhy They’re a Problem

Single worker termites can’t eat much on their own, but whole colonies can eat an astounding amount of wood, and they can get to structures more capably than you’d expect. Slowly but surely, termite damage can compromise your home’s structural integrity.

Enough damage could necessitate an expensive home renovation, and could even be dangerous! In extreme circumstances, termite colonies have done so much damage to a house’s structural foundation that the structure had to be condemned and demolished! Termites also go after wooden furniture. A termite infestation can ruin chairs, tables, floors, and decor. Of all the pest infestations, termites colonies tend to be the most costly.

termite infestationHow You Can Prevent Them

The trick to keeping termites away is to deprive them of the resources they need. Termites burn through a lot of their moisture chewing through wood. Pretty much the only time they stop eating is when they return to wet soil. If you can make sure your attic and basement stay dry, they won’t be as attractive as colonization sites.

The next step to termite protection is simply keeping wood safe. Make sure there’s a barrier of some kind between soil and wooden substructures. Treat any of the wood you can, especially wooden furniture. Store woodpiles on shelving, not the ground. Fix any rotting or plumbing leaks you find quickly. If your garden uses mulch, make sure it’s not cellulose-based. Seal cracks in your foundation, windows, insulation, and exterior walls.

For more ideas on where to start, check out our blog from 2015’s termite awareness day, our blog on combating Michigan’s most pervasive pest problems, or our termite pest control focus page. Remember: no matter how bad the problem, you have resources and options. You can do something about it.

How We Can Stop Them

If you do happen to end up with a termite infestation, call us right away. Griffin’s Termite Protection Program combines the latest science with a customized action plan, designed to your particular problem, needs, and specifications. Not only will we end your current infestation, we’ll help make sure termites can’t get in again.

If you have any more questions about termites, or if you think you may have an infestation, get in touch anytime. The faster you can drive those wood-munchers out, the more money you’ll save in the long run, so don’t hesitate!

Michigan’s Most Pervasive Pest Problems

We’ve been in the Michigan pest control business for a long time, so we’ve seen a lot of pests. Some more than others, unfortunately. Michigan has a handful of pests that show up like bad pennies year after year to plague our homes and businesses. If you’ve been here long, chances are you or someone you know has had a run-in with these pesky creatures at some point.

Fortunately, because we deal with “the usual suspects” every year, we know quite a bit about their home-infesting MO, and even more about how to counter it. Follow these suggestions and you’ll be able to keep your property pest-free*–not just this year, but for all the years that follow too.

Spiders

Spiders have adapted to virtually every environment and can be found all over the world. If it seems like Michigan has a particular problem with the eight-legged arachnids, it’s because despite their adaptations, spiders can’t survive freezing cold. When the temperature begins to drop, spiders migrate out of their typical homes in forests, fields, and gardens in order to find shelter. Consequently, most of the spider infestations we treat originate in the Fall or early Winter.

To keep spiders out, start outside. Circle the perimeter of your home a few times. Clear away anything that’s leaning against the house. If you have a pile of firewood, move it away from your house. Regularly trim your hedges and bushes. Look for avenues of infiltration like gaps in the foundation or near utility lines and seal them. Spiders are attracted to cover near houses, because they’re good spots to build webs. Once they’ve found cover, they’ll start looking ways to get somewhere even better – inside your home. Don’t give them any opportunities.

Bed Bugs

Bed bugs quickly become a problem for areas with a mobile populace and/or old buildings. They love to hitch rides with travellers. They hide in luggage, bedding, clothes, and anything else they can get into. After their inadvertent host brings them home, they make themselves comfortable and often even lay eggs. These eggs hatch, and then another building has a bed bug infestation.

The best way to prevent a bed bug infestation is to take precautions when traveling. Check in and around your hotel room’s bed right away. Studies have shown that most bed bugs are found within 15 feet of the bed. Keep your luggage off the ground and, if possible, sealed in airtight bags. You should also consider running luggage through your dryer right away when you get home. Heat is the most effective means of killing bed bugs. For a lot more info on stopping bed bugs, check out the official Michigan Manual for the Prevention and Control of Bed Bugs.

Termites

Subterranean termites are highly active across Michigan’s lower peninsula, particularly in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and Detroit. The most common, the Eastern Subterranean Termite, is the most destructive wood pest in the state. These termites live in colonies and feed on dead wood. Subterranean termites carve elaborate tunnel systems underground, which they use to access food sources from below. Termites also require moisture and warmth, so they target places where they can get moisture, warmth, and wood all at once.

Make sure they can’t get these. Termites seek out places where wood touches the ground. Limit access to wood like this. Wrap barriers around the bottom of deck posts. Treat wooden flooring to prevent rotting. Make sure wooden siding is off the ground. Remove excess cellulose (wooden) materials like cellulose mulch. The subterranean terrors are looking for moisture, too, so watch for condensation or puddling. Repair leaks immediately. If termite problems persist, give us a call quickly to spare yourself costly property damage.

Cockroaches

Like spiders, cockroaches are adaptive and can be found almost everywhere. Michigan has five varieties of cockroach: the American, German, Oriental, Brown-Banded, and Wood cockroaches. The German roach is the most annoying, because it wants to get indoors. Cockroaches are common in urban areas where they can find easily-accessible food and shelter. Cockroaches will eat just about anything, so they’re attracted to trash.

To prevent cockroaches, organize and clean. Organize your home to prevent clutter. Avoid stacking cardboard boxes, don’t keep anything on the floor, and don’t leave food out overnight. Keep a cleaning schedule. Vacuum once a week, wipe surfaces after meals, and watch for dust and grime accumulation. Cockroaches don’t need much to thrive, so you can’t give them anything. After cleaning, pay attention to moist areas and caulk gaps in your foundation or siding. Cockroaches can climb sheer surfaces, so don’t assume anywhere is out of reach!

Following these tips will go a long way toward preventing pest infestations, but the problem with Michigan’s most pervasive pests is their persistence. If you do end up with an infestation, there’s no need to panic. Just call Griffin pronto! We’ve got plenty of practice putting these pushy punks in their place, and we’d be perfectly pleased to pummel your problem, too. It would be our pleasure!