There’s something about a mild spring day in New Jersey that can almost make you forget about the snowy, freezing weather we’ve had to endure the previous few months. Who cares that we were wading through piles of the white stuff and scraping our cars’ windshields only a few weeks ago when the sun is shining and we can linger outside for a time without losing feeling in our fingers and toes? Spring has arrived, friends! It won’t be long before the tulips are blooming. Really, it’s all good news except for the fact that termites in New Jersey are becoming more active.
As temperatures start rising in Short Hills, Chatham, and Westfield as well as throughout New Jersey, property owners should expect to see termite activity not only start to flourish but rapidly increase. That’s because every spring when the temps make their way north of 32 degrees Fahrenheit and stay there, termites take notice and then eventually start to swarm.
What does that mean when we say termites start to swarm?
As we’ve mentioned in previous blogs and articles on our website, termite swarmers are the reproductive members of a subterranean termite colony. The single purpose of each reproductive is to pair up with a mate and then establish a new termite colony. As far as when termites start swarming in New Jersey, there is no hard and fast rule. That’s because weather, rainfall (or lack of), humidity, and other conditions must be factored in. That said, it is very common for termite swarms to occur anywhere from late April until the middle of August.
Termite swarmers aren’t the only members of the colony to be on the lookout for
While a termite swarm inside your house or an off-structure swarm are clear indications that a termite colony is nearby, actually seeing termites crawling in the soil around your foundation or moving about inside your house are just as telling and also cause for worry.
Left unchecked, foraging termite workers may remain active all year long and really just kick it into overdrive once the warm weather arrives.
Termite mud tubes & other signs of a termite infestation
In order to move around without losing moisture, termites build tunnel-like structures called mud tubes using materials such as dirt, wood, their saliva, and their feces – lovely, we know. The diameter of termite mud tubes ranges from ¼ to one inch and are often compared to the diameter of a pencil. When you discover them on your home’s exterior or even inside, they are quite distinctive.
Subterranean termites build mud tubes as highways from their colony to their food source. That’s why you’ll often find them in a variety of places including the following areas:
- Concrete or stone foundations
- Basement walls
- Crawl spaces and subfloors
- Joists
- Window frames
Other common signs of a termite problem include:
- Discolored or drooping drywall
- Peeling or bubble paint
- Buckling floors
- Squeaky floorboards
- Crumbling, damaged wood
- Windows and doors that stick
- Maze-like patterns in furniture, floor boards, or walls
- Piles of wings under window sills and elsewhere inside left behind after a termite swarm
How fast does a termite infestation grow?
Termite damage does not occur overnight. In fact, a typical termite infestation may start out small and it may take months and even years before the damage inflicted becomes noticeable. Unfortunately, that’s not great news either. Dubbed silent destroyers, termites will feed on support beams, ceilings, walls, floors, and other materials made from wood or containing cellulose. It isn’t before the damage is so evident that property owners realize that they have a termite problem and by then, the damage is often so extensive, it will take significant work to repair. And of course, that likely means a hefty repair bill. If you’re thinking, that’s okay my homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the repair work, think again. Most insurance companies consider termites a preventable problem and therefore will not pay for the repairs that are necessary.
What are my options for termite treatments?
How you treat for termites depends on the current situation. If you don’t have a termite problem and you simply want to keep it that way, the best approach is to implement a termite monitoring program. If termites show up on your property, you’ll know it BEFORE they have time to infest your structure and eat away at the home you’ve built. If you’re interested in learning more about this option, please give us a call.
Now, if there’s an active termite infestation immediate treatment is a must. At Arrow Pest Control, we use Termidor®, America’s #1 termite defense product, to exterminate these wood-destroying pests. Our stand-alone termite control service starts with a thorough inspection focusing on both the interior and exterior of the structure to confirm the presence of termites. We’ll also look for conditions that attract these insects, find out how they get inside, and evaluate the termite damage present.
Once we’ve completed our analysis, we’ll show you what we found and outline a plan of action to help you get rid of termites – for good! Because there is a degree of preparation required before the remediation process can begin, we’ll schedule your treatment day and go over everything that must be completed prior to.
On the day of your termite treatment, one of Arrow’s highly trained and fully licensed pest control professionals will arrive and begin service. You can expect to see the technician working his way around the perimeter of your house as he creates a zone of protection that extends into the soil and targets foraging termite workers. Once those insects come into contact with the product, they won’t die immediately but rather will carry it back unknowingly to the rest of their colony. Once exposed, the entire termite colony will be eradicated. That includes the queen and if there’s no queen, the colony cannot reproduce!
Arrow’s termite control services include a one-year termite warranty against re-infestation. That simply means that if termites become a problem in your home in the year following your treatment, we’ll come back to re-treat at no charge to you! Arrow’s termite warranty is renewable each year and can also be transferred should you sell your home.
Bundle pest control and termite control for even more protection!
For homeowners in our multi-county service area, we also offer our Arrow Premier program. This is a comprehensive home pest control plan that keeps 30+ common household pests away from families and homes PLUS it also covers termites and other wood-destroying pests in New Jersey. Learn more about this option below or reach out to discuss your situation today!
Arrow Premier
If you’re looking for a program that protects your home and family from common household pests PLUS termites and other wood-destroying insects, we recommend Arrow Premier. With this program, you get quarterly pest control and a wood-destroying insect program in one package!
- Protects your home all year long.
- Consists of full interior and exterior inspections and treatments.
- Covers your entire property* including the attic, mailbox, play set, shed, and fence.
- Includes a certified termite inspection and ongoing termite control.
Pests targeted with Arrow’s Premier includes cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, earwigs, clover mites, millipedes, centipedes, crickets, ground beetles, boxelder bugs, ants (including carpenter ants, pharaoh ants and acrobatic), fleas (inside only), pillbugs, sow bugs, fruit flies, stored product pests, bees, wasps, hornets, carpenter bees (no higher than 10ft), mice, and rodents PLUS termites
*If you have a pool house that requires service, pricing would increase based upon the size of the structure.
