With over 3,000 different species of termites found in the world, nearly everyone knows of their existence and detrimental habits. With the exception of Antarctica, termites can potentially be in your own backyard. Costing residential and commercial property owners millions, if not billions, a year in the US alone, termites destroy wooden structures quickly, consuming and tunneling 24 hours day. Discovering termites inside your home or business requires professional expertise; exterminating applications of quality products can effectively ensure their demise. But what people may not be noticing, is the termites yards away in your trees and we at A Five Star Termite & Pest Control would like to expound on that scenario.
Can Termites Infest a Living Tree?
Some optimists may classify termites as beneficial as they are a natural resource that clears the fallen trees and dead stumps. However, more often than you might realize, a sickly or dead tree, at closer inspection is so due to a termite infestation. Termites can and will infest living trees. As termites consume plant or cellulose matter (wood) to survive, their colonies continue to grow and can reach up to 250,000 members, which rapidly exhausts the wood supply. Being active all year long, but appearing more so in the mid spring to early summer because the mature reproductive termites move out of the colony to begin new ones; they are continually causing damage.
Termites Can Live in Dead Trees
Although a few species of termites will consume healthy plants, termites will often be found in dead or dying trees. Termites will still infest healthier trees but usually attack the weaker trees. Inspecting trees that have tiny holes in the wood and spy wood shavings at the base of the trees are all indications of termites. Additional red flags of termite infestations include, shed wings, termite carcasses, mud shelter tubes climbing the trunk of the trees, and exceptionally small white eggs. Dig just below the soil line at the root of the trees and if you do need confirmation of their existence, they will often be easily scene from this perspective.
How Do You Kill Termites in a Tree?
After confirming you do have termites in your trees, do not panic, it does not indicate that they are in your home or business, but the risk is there. Making the termite removal a top priority before they infest your home, ensure the infestation is effectively removed by performing the following tasks:
– Prune all infested limbs of trees that are otherwise healthy.
– Remove all any infested stumps.
– Burn or professional remove all pruned limbs, stumps, and infected wood piles.
– Invest in professional treatment or apply the proper termite extermination products or to ensure efficiency.
Termite Infestation Inspections, Exclusion, Control, Removal, Management & More in Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Bulverde, Timberwood Park, Leon Valley, Alamo Heights, New Braunfels, Selma, Live Oak, Converse, Universal City, Cibolo, Seguin, New Berlin, St Hedwig, Adkins, La Vernia, Elmendorf, Losoya, Von Ormy, Macdona & San Antonio, Texas
To ensure your home is safe and the landscape is efficiently termite free, contact A Five Star Termite & Pest Control for our thorough termite inspection and effective removal services!
