Signs You Could Be Dealing With A Severe Termite Infestation In Streator

Few bugs can inspire fear as the termite can. These pests can do damage to wood that is soft or hard, dry or wet, decorative or structural. If not caught early enough, you could be paying out of pocket for repairs to your home, and for some households paying for that expense might not be possible.

Across the U.S., termites cost homeowners over five billion dollars every year. To prevent having to write such a massive check, it’s better to be aware of the signs and dangers of termites, so that you can be proactive.

Identifying Termites

Termites can infest a property in a number of ways, and with species native to Illinois, these infestations tend to happen at the soil level. Through wood scraps or infested lawn decorations, or simply being drawn to overly moist soil, termites can make a mess of things without you being any the wiser.

Luckily, in Illinois, there is just one type of termite native to the state: the subterranean termite. As the name implies, these termites come from underground and spend most of their time in the ground, in mud tubes, or inside the wood to protect themselves from heat and air. These mud tubes are exactly as they sound, tubes of mud plastered to outside walls through which termites travel to reach the wood. They are a dead giveaway of an infestation.

Subterranean termites have a caste system in which different kinds of termites in the colony perform various tasks. The king is much smaller than the queen, who is the largest in the colony. The alates are winged termites, also known as swarmers who are responsible for reproduction and spreading new colonies. These are dark brown or black and up to ½ of an inch long. Workers are smaller at up to about ¼ of an inch and with cream-colored bodies. They do not have wings, but their jaws help them chew and move materials. Soldiers, the final level in the caste, have large mandibles, rectangular heads, and flat, wide bodies. They are also creamy white but often with dark-colored heads.

A mature colony of termites can reach numbers anywhere from 60,000 to 2,000,000 workers, and termites do not stop chewing. As a queen can produce up to 1,000 eggs a day, it won’t take long for a colony to reach maturity and begin to devastate your home, especially if there is more than one colony.

These insects are relatively small, but in such large numbers, they aren’t invisible, especially when you know what to look for as far as risks and signs of an infestation.

Signs Of A Termite Infestation

Infestations can occur outside or inside the home. As you can imagine, simply creating an entryway into a home is not much of an obstacle for chewers who can eat through 5 grams of wood a day. Even without making a new entry, termites can fit through cracks less than 1/16 of an inch wide.

The signs of an infestation may be small, but a trained observer can spot them with the naked eye. Indicators include:

• Mud tubes

• Swarming near kick holes, especially after a rain shower

• Shed wings near these holes, doors, and windowsills

• Feces that look like sawdust

• Uneven or bubbling paint

• Darkening or blistering of wooden structures

• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped

• Swollen window or door frames that make them hard to open or close

While termites can be obstinate and choose a home regardless of its natural appeal, there are a few methods to protect your home from an infestation and save yourself those out-of-pocket repairs. The most important means of prevention? Enlist the help of a pest control professional to regularly monitor for signs of an infestation.

Call Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators At The First Sign Of Termites

Spotting the signs of an infestation could be challenging on your own, and dealing with one can be impossible without professional help. Due to the sheltered nature of termites, multiple colonies, and quick reproductive capabilities, swift and effective professional termite control treatment is the best and only option for eliminating these pests.

At Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators, our home inspections will help you identify the pest, do a risk assessment, eliminate the current infestation, and protect your home from future invaders. Protecting our community from dangerous pests is our number one priority, and Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators would love to be the service you call to protect your home and family from threats. Call Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators for relief from your termite problem in Streator, and peace of mind that they won’t return.