Insect termites are relatives of cockroaches, but in everyday life they are called "white ants." And it’s not strange - at first glance, the termites in the house really look like white ants. But the harm that the "white ants" can do in the apartment may turn out to be more impressive than from the presence of ordinary goose bumps.
Therefore, let's get to know these insects better, find out their habits and, most importantly, how to get rid of termites. Termites are primitive insects that feed on plant foods. This is mainly cellulose. Remember that termites in a house can harm any item containing cellulose: furniture, books, grass, leaves, living trees, and decor items. In our relatively harsh climatic conditions, termites do not pose such a threat as in mills with a tropical climate. It is in the tropics that most of the termite representatives live, causing damage to millions of dollars annually.
Like wasps, bees, ants and other social insects, three main groups stand out in termite communities:
- individuals capable of sexual reproduction
- soldiers
- working individuals.
However, termite damage repair have a number of significant differences from other insects. For example, they differ from ants externally by the absence of a constriction between the abdomen and chest. In termites, an adult individual develops from a larva without first becoming a pupa (incomplete metamorphosis). Wings are present only in reproductive individuals, and at the base of the wing there is a seam along which the wings break off after resettlement for the purpose of reproduction. The main function of the soldiers is to protect the community from ant predators. Soldiers can have different weapons of defense: gnawing mandibles, outgrowth with a poisonous secret. For soldiers and termite workers, the genitals are underdeveloped or completely absent. It is working termites that are whitish or light in color.
Termites: features of resettlement
Termite insect nests can be found in different places: tree trunks and branches, stumps, logs, and earth. But most of them have a closed surface, unlike the same ants that connect at least a few holes to the outside world. Termites do not like light, and spend almost their entire lives in the dark.
However, termite insects cannot eat only what is within the colony. Therefore, they need to build indoor galleries. Thanks to the galleries termites communicate with the food object - buildings, trees, etc.
Termites: detection and nature of damage
The danger of wood being hit by termites can be compared to work, although termites work faster and more destructively. It is not difficult to distinguish the consequences of the destruction of beetles from termites in the apartment: termites leave in the passages not drilling flour (a mixture of feces and wood dust), but specific precipitates on the walls of the larval passages. Sometimes under the hole you can see a bunch of the smallest wood shavings, and in the larval passages - reddish-brown or black feces.
If it is a coniferous species of wood - splitting of wood into annual layers can be observed. But the best thing, of course, is to find termites before such serious damage. And this is quite difficult - especially when you do not expect danger.
Termite insects lead a hidden lifestyle. The first thing you can find is not even damage to the wood itself, but the appearance of a covered earthen gallery for movement on ceilings, walls and other illuminated surfaces. Due to this, termites can destroy very dry wood, feeding on the necessary moisture in mobile earthen galleries. The connection of termites with the earth is constant.
If you hit the wood damaged by termites, you will hear a characteristic empty sound. Round holes can sometimes be seen on the surface of the wood. When looking for probable places of damage, pay special attention to darkened damp places - the wooden frame, the joints of the foundation and walls.
In our latitudes, the European photophobic termite Reticulilermes luciphugus Rossi is found.
Termites in the house: prevention and methods of disposal
So, you are sure that termites damaged the wood in your house. So what's now? There are several options.
Call a special experienced company that is guaranteed to save your home from termites
We sincerely advise you to use this particular option, since the removal of termites is a complex matter involving the use of poisons. If you are not confident in your knowledge of chemistry - better trust the professionals.
Aerating a room with smoke bombs.
You can get rid of termites in this way, but it is very labor intensive. To carry out aeration, checkers are taken from HCH, DDT, and aerosols from chloropicrin and chlorophos. Before the process, the premises are exempted from animals, people, food, absolutely all the cracks are covered with alabaster mortar and wax paper, the furnace doors, ventilation and other things are tightly closed. The duration of aeration is up to five days, after which termite insect holes are closed on the surface of wooden structures after preliminary thorough drying.
This method has not found wide application for the reason that gases are volatile and cannot be absorbed into the wood for a long time. Therefore, the protection of wood from termites will not be long-term.
To process (spray) places of termite detection with an insecticide.
Remember that insecticides are poisons. Some of them are not dangerous for people, but for animals can be extremely dangerous. Before trying to get rid of termites, make sure that the insecticide you have chosen is not dangerous: Chlorpyrifos, Imidacloprid, Finpronil, Chlorfenapir.
Lubricate termite detection sites with some means:
A mixture of boron powder with honey and sugar with the addition of a drop of water to obtain a certain paste. Infected termites in the wood will come into contact with the mixture, and transfer it to the den, infecting other individuals.
Alcohol: mercuric chloride - 100: 3
Naphthalene: creosote: tar: turpentine - 3: 1,5: 10: 20
Naphthalene: naphthalisole: drying oil: kerosene - 1.5: 2.5: 10: 10
Wood tar: crystalline phenol: naphthalene: kerosene: turpentine - 1: 0.5: 1: 1: 10
Turpentine: kerosene - 1: 3
Gasoline + Naphthalene
In order to completely remove termites from wood, it is important to understand: if you removed termites from separate furniture, this does not mean that all termite insects in the earthen colony died. Therefore, measures must be comprehensive. Measures to remove termites from wood should be carried out in the spring, before the start of the summer period.
Termite Insect Prevention
To prevent termites from appearing in the wood, listen to our recommendations. If the house is just under construction - make sure that the wooden structures do not come into contact with the ground; dig wooden fences into metal bases, install on a hill of cement. Take care that the earth around the house is not too wet - equip a good drain, and in the room provide reliable ventilation, prevent leaks and dampness;
Ask the builders what kind of wood the termites do not like: cedar, mahogany; Cracks must be repaired with sealant, since termite insects penetrate the wood through the gap. Furniture and potentially dangerous areas of the house should be greased with the above compounds and antiseptics for prevention.
In general, it is worth saying that it is quite difficult to get rid of termites in wood and on the site, so do not ignore preventive measures. And remember: wet, not treated with aniseptic, wood is attractive not only for termites, but also for and White ants - the erroneous name of termites, a way of life and appearance resembling true ants. Modern science considers cockroaches not ants, but termites as the closest relatives of termites.
These insects lead a public lifestyle, like ants, wasps, bumblebees. Sociobiologists carefully study termites, trying to understand the laws by which they exist.
Self termite control
It is not known what will cause the housing more damage, fire or white ants in the apartment. How to remove annoying pests? The main means of controlling termites are special poisons, mainly based on chlorine compounds, with the exception of those that, being safe for humans and harmful to pests, can harm the well-being of other animals and plants, which is why they are even forbidden to use.
Mixtures of naphthalene, gasoline, kerosene, alcohol, turpentine, boric powder, mercuric chloride, creosote and even tar, wood tar from coniferous trees are also used for control. Practice shows that independent struggle with termites is not always effective, therefore this matter should be left to professionals, and afterwards take care of the implementation of preventive measures.
Professional termite control
In the arsenal of termite control specialists, stronger drugs than those available on the free market. Destroying sick and weak individuals, such tools can even strengthen the colony of surviving termites.
Professional sanitation workers know exactly how to get rid of white ants in an apartment. To combat termites, gasification is used, smothering the treated surface with special substances. Of course, to achieve the perfect result, this method is suitable only in the case of the processing of portable wooden structures, such as furniture, since fumigation is carried out in special chambers.
Sanitary services will not only process the house, apartment and other affected objects, but they will also find and neutralize the nest of white ants that can live away from home. If termites have chosen an apartment or a house of neighbors, then processing the entire residential sector will be more effective than targeted strikes against the enemy.
The unpleasant proximity to termites is a dubious pleasure. Therefore, when buying a home, especially in warm places, attention should be paid not only to the quality of repairs and the prestige of the area, but also to signs of termite damage of a possible “free application” in the form of such woodworms.
If it is planned to build a house, then the place for this should be chosen drier, the foundation should be poured higher, and metal should be preferred over a wooden fence. Also, for areas of high "thermite risk" sanitary experts can offer preventive treatment of the house and its surroundings. These measures can minimize the risk of unwanted encounters with white ants in their own housing and in the workplace.
How to get rid of termites? One who is interested in this question is clearly not envious. The fact is that termites are not the safest insects, and getting rid of them is not so simple.
These insect orders are relatives of the cockroach family. In common people they are accustomed to call them "white ants." They cause considerable damage to humans. They are considered to be the most dangerous insects in the world. Termites can damage wooden structures, furniture, and prints in a short amount of time.
In their natural habitat, termites feed on dead worms and rotting parts of wood trunks. Some individuals may eat dried shoots of cereal crops or fallen leaves and humus.
Owners of their own wooden houses need to fear such an adversary and know how to resist him. Termites are fairly primitive insects that feed on plant foods. But most of all they love cellulose. Everyone in the house has objects that contain this substance. Therefore, when termites are found, you should be wary of home furniture, books, indoor plants and decor elements.
It is not possible to detect a wooden structure affected by termites immediately. The fact is that these insects are very secretive, they can disguise themselves for a long time. Homeowners may not even suspect that their home is in serious danger until the secret is revealed. Termites begin to eat wood from the inside. Gradually advancing to the outside, they make moves that are not immediately apparent. If the "white ants" entered the house, then these insects will not be limited to pieces of furniture and doorways, they can also destroy the family library.
To keep the house in its original form and prevent the invasion of “uninvited guests”, you need to know what types of termites exist in nature. This knowledge will help to cope with insects as efficiently as possible. The types of these harmful insects can be found in the next section of the article.
What types of termites are
In order to get rid of home termites as efficiently as possible, you need to understand what types of insects are and study their strengths and weaknesses.
Like many other individuals from the order of insects, termites can be divided into 3 types:
Working individuals. The body of such termites is white and quite soft. Their size reaches no more than 10 mm. The eyes of working individuals may be poorly developed or even absent. Such individuals do not have genital organs.
Insect soldiers. Their main task is to protect the entire colony from attacks by predator ants, which are their main enemies. Insect soldiers have a variety of defensive weapons. They have a large head and powerful gnawing mandibles. Some species have a growth on their head, which contains a kind of secret used as a weapon against the enemy. In case of danger, they spray liquid from their growth on the enemy. The eyes and genitals of soldiers are very poorly developed or completely absent.
Termites that are able to breed and bear offspring. These individuals have a dark colored body. The eyes of this species of insects are well developed, and on the body there are 2 pairs of wings. After the reproductive function is realized, the wings die off and are discarded, after which the individuals can no longer fly.
First, the insect turns from a larva into a chrysalis, and then it grows into an adult. An important distinguishing feature of termites from other ants is that they hate sunlight. Therefore, they always find places where there is practically no sun.
To get rid of home termites yourself, you first need to find out where they settled, and then proceed with the fight against them.