
Why Maryland Termites Are Still Active in Late Fall and Winter
11/20/2018
In Maryland, the termites we deal with the most are Eastern subterranean termites and, as their name implies, these termites live underground....
READ MORE >
To beat your enemy, you must first know your enemy. When subterranean termites wage war on your home, it is good to understand the rank and file of this invading army. With this knowledge, you will know how to strike at the heart of your enemy, and prevail.
Swarmers
Once a subterranean termite colony has matured, which usually takes 2 to 4 years, male and female swarmers are produced. These king and queen swarmers are the first step in a new cycle, so it all begins with them. The most notable trait of swarmers is that they do not eat wood. Their primary purpose is to produce eggs. These are weak fliers, and do not travel far from the mature colony. If they travel any distance, it is due to the wind carrying them. And, only a small percentage survive to develop a new colony. A surviving king or queen will crawl under a rock, moist wood, construction material, or other organic debris and lay eggs.
The King
There are no dead beat dads in the termite army. Termite kings continue to mate with the queen to produce more eggs, and help take care of the babies--or larvae--that hatch.
Workers
Weeks after eggs are laid, larvae hatch. The larvae then molt into pseudergate workers. These termites have no eyes, do not have developed reproductive organs, and are responsible for the majority of damage that termites do to homes. Their responsibilities are to feed and groom colony members, and construct and repair the nest.
Soldiers
Workers are sometimes needed for other duties and will form into pre-soldiers, and ultimately, soldiers. The role of the soldier is defense of the colony, usually against ants. Like the workers, soldiers are blind and must rely on chemical and tactile feedback to attack their enemy with their rapid lunging movements. When necessary they take their large, hard head, and use it to plug the entrance holes of the nest.
The Queen
The job of the queen is to produce eggs. Her children all tend to her. She is the center of their world, as they wait patiently for each egg to come out. If she dies, life for the termites living in the colony ceases to make any sense. With no queen, the mound will die out.
Understanding the role of the queen is the key to termite prevention. Using bait technologies like the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System, a professional pest controller can get workers to bring poison past soldiers and deep into the heart of the enemy's base. The workers then feed all the termites in the colony, including the queen. When the queen dies, the colony dies.
That's how you win the war.
11/20/2018
In Maryland, the termites we deal with the most are Eastern subterranean termites and, as their name implies, these termites live underground....
READ MORE >
08/31/2018
In order for a termite to damage a home, it has to be a termite that eats wood. Now, you may be thinking, "hold on a second, don't all termites eat...
READ MORE >
08/08/2018
This past week, American Pest was installed over 150 Sentricon stations at The Children’s Inn in Bethesda, Maryland. Both Glen Darby and Lexi...
READ MORE >
07/27/2018
Spring has been pretty busy in terms of pest activity and we've been working hard to give you key information to help you keep pests at bay, like t...
READ MORE >
Protect your home and family from nuisance and potentially damaging pests with a Preferred Care home pest control plan. Starting at $49/month
Don't let the bed bugs bite a second longer. Contact American Pest for the most comprehensive bed bug control in the industry. Learn More
Our certified rodent control pros will put an end to your frustration by getting rid of rats and mice inside your home. Learn More
Say goodbye to wood-destroying termites in your home when you contact American Pest for expert termite control. Learn More
Trust American Pest to deliver professional backyard tick control services that are guaranteed to get results. Learn More
Don't spend the warm-weather season indoors, find out how American Pest's professional treatments get rid of mosquitoes. Learn More
Fill out the form and recieve feedback in less then 5 minutes. For immediate service please call or chat.