Minnesota Pest Control and Extermination

Yuck Bugs? Exterminators Knock ´Em Dead!!!

Got creepy crawlies? According to the National Pest Control Association, cockroaches, mice, rats, termites, carpenter ants, ants, fleas, ticks, spiders, and silver fish are the most common household pests.

You are NOT alone. Almost every house in America has had at least one of these pests take up residence in the last year. You can try managing this yourself with do-it-yourself products, but they are not as effective as the service offered by professional exterminators.

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Is It Necessary To Hire An Exterminator To Get Rid Of Termites?

Termite Problem?

When thinking about hiring a professional termite exterminator there are many options.  It all depends on the level of infestation that you deal with.  There are a lot of free how to tutorials on the internet that might be handy if you just spotted a small ammount of termite infestation in your house.  However, if you have discovered the high level of termite invasion and high damage to your house , the best advice is to hire a professional pest control expert. 

Most people do not know the properties of different chemicals and the dosage and they should not deal with these toxic substances.  A professional termite exterminator  has everything in order to help you get rid of termites.  They own special equipment when applying chemicals and in such a way they protect themselves from intoxication.  Besides that, it is also known that some types of termite colonies have become immune to several types of chemicals and methods of extermination, so you might face something similar when trying to kill them on your own.  A good pest control company offers you a warranty to make sure that those nasty termites do not reappear.

An expert in termite extermination has all the necessary tools, equipment, chemicals, techniques, methods, knowledge and the most important – experience.   Hiring a professional exterminator might cost you some money, but it might be more affordable than trying it on your own without knowing the basics and then end up spending even more on products that you have no idea if they work or not.  Better safe than sorry!

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How Do I Get Rid Of Termites…Fast? Part 3

Termite Prevention

Termites feed on cellulose (which consists of wood, dead plant material, paper, etc.) in its various plant fiber forms.  Subterranean and Dry wood termites are primarily responsible for structural damage associated with termites.  Wood eating termites get cellulose, sugars and starches from the outer wood of trees.  These termite species will also do extensive damage, given the chance, to wooden structures like tree stumps, logs and constructions built by humans.

Termite nests are formed in one of two places, in higher places like trees or in soil mounds beneath the ground.  Nests can be found specifically in several areas:

• Ground Mounds
• Tree Nests
• Subterranean Nests (under ground and at tree bases)
• Pole Nests (found on human structures like telephone poles or on fence posts)

Cellulose in the form of wood, dead plants and even paper that is in contact with moist soil offers termites with a readily available source for food.  There are some fairly basic steps to preventing damage to a home or other building and causing a great deal of monetary damage.

• Keep mulch levels (especially wood mulch) out from underneath the wooden parts of a structure.
• Keep wood mulch totally away from the foundation of a home or other structure.
• Make sure that dead trees, stumps, and roots near a structure are removed as quickly as possible.
• Be sure that wood debris and other boards are also removed from the area near the structure.

On a yearly basis, homes and other structures should be inspected for places and areas that may be ideal for termite colonies to thrive.

• Make sure that the foundation of the home can be seen and isn’t covered by debris.  Be sure that wood and other cellulose material is kept away from the structure’s foundation.
• Make certain that the basement and crawl spaces are free of moisture and water.
• See that water is directed away from the structure and foundation.

Damages may occur to your house by these nasty pests.  What is worse is the fact that if you leave these pests alone, they will multiply to even more.  There are many do-it-yourself pest control products you can buy, but often times they do not work, or are toxic and are not safe to use around people and pets.  If you have a termite problem, you may need to call your local Twin Cities pest control professionals.

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How Do I Get Rid Of Termites…Fast? Part 2

Be Rid Of Termites In Your Home

Termites live in large colonies that may contain several hundred thousand individual organisms. Colonies are made up of a caste system with five distinct levels.

Termite Queens
There is usually one main queen of the colony that often is the founder of the colony.  The queen is typically larger than other termites in the colony because she is swollen with eggs. Some queen termite species can live and reproduce for as many as twenty years.  Within the colony, supplementary queens will take over reproduction when the primary queen dies.

Termite Kings
The original or founding king of the termite colony spends his time fertilizing the main queen and tending to the young as the establishment of the colony progresses.

Termite Soldiers
Soldier termites do as their name would indicate, they defend the colony.  These termites are often the same size as workers with darker heads, but on occasion they are larger.  There are some species of termite that have two size classes within this one–major and minor soldiers.

Reproductive Termites
Depending on the species, reproductive termites can be either with or without wings.  They have darker and more durable bodies than others in the colony with compound eyes.  The more durable bodies in this caste helps them to survive for a period of time outside of the colony, which allows them to fly off and begin their own colony.  Reproductive’s are bound to either leave the nest in colonizing flight or to take over the colony in the event the queen dies.

Termite Workers
Worker termites have white bodies and thin skin that is susceptible to drying if they were to leave the colony.  The most numerous group of the colony, workers are involved in gathering food, caring for and feeding the young, and in building and maintaining the nest.

Damages may occur to your house by these nasty pests.  What is worse is the fact that if you leave these pests alone, they will multiply to even more.  If you have a termite problem, you may need to get the expertise of a pest removal professional.

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How Do I Get Rid Of Termites…Fast? Part 1

Termite Inspectors Come to the Rescue

Have you thought about what termites can do once they start tunneling through your house?  Talk to anyone who’s ever had a termite problem, and they’ll assure you that it’s no small deal! The wooden structures throughout your house can be weakened, even permanently damaged.  Once a termite infestation moves in, your home value is going to go in one direction: down.

Termites frequently tunnel near your foundation, and you won’t be able to see signs of an infestation until the damage is done.  A pest control expert will be able to look for this.  They’ll also look inside your house, in crawlspaces, attics, and anywhere there is a substantial amount of wood.

Termite treatment can be expensive.  But what’s far more expensive is the cost of letting your pest control problem go, hoping it will resolve itself – and letting them wreak (very costly!) havoc on your home.

When the inspector tells you you’ve got termites, the first question you’re going to ask is, “How can I get rid of them” FAST?

There’s a misconception that once a termite infestation starts, a house is as good as gone.  This is not true at all.  No house is completely safe from termites, but with a bit of vigilance, professional termite treatment and inspection, termite control is within your reach.

If a pest control professional determines that you’ve got an infestation, they will make recommendations on treatment, depending on the scope of the infestation.

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