Termites are one of the largest threats to homes in the Rockwall, TX area. Did you know that in the DFW metroplex, an average ¼ homes have an active termite infestation. It is a common misconception that if you do not see the infestation or visible damages from the termite infestation, then your home must be termite free. However, when it comes to termites, it is more common than not for you to not see the active infestation. Continue reading to learn what kind of termites we see most in the Rockwall area, as well as their habits, potential signs of an active termite infestation and of course how to protect your home from falling victim to the next termite infestation.
The most common termites we see in the Rockwall area are subterranean termites. These termites live in the ground and will create small mud tube paths from the ground to their food source. They build these tubes primarily for two reasons:
- They must have contact with soil often otherwise they will not survive.
- These termite mud tubes protect termites from predators.
These tubes can usually be seen along the foundation of a home that has a current termite infestation, but they are not always present as we discussed earlier in this article.
Another sign of a termite infestation are “termite swarms”. When termites swarm (usually on a really humid day after a rain) you will usually see multiple swarmers flying around an area of your home. These swarmers often look like “ants with wings” however their wings are different from ant swarmers. If you notice these swarmers near or in your home, that means you already have a termite infestation in your home and it is time to do a termite treatment around the foundation of your home.
Other signs of a termite infestation are: small holes in the wall or baseboards that did not exist in the past, dirt (almost sand like) coming out of the wall, discolored and soft walls. These can be hard to spot with a naked eye as the shade of the color may cause you to believe it is just the lighting of the room you are in. If you are worried that a wall may be affected, then go over to the wall you believe may be affected and knock on the wall specifically towards the bottom as that will be the first area the termites would come across. If the wall is very soft and spongy, then it would be advised to have a termite professional investigate the situation further.
Now that we understand termite behaviors and what to look out for when it comes to a possible termite infestation, how do we prevent termites from ever becoming a problem to begin with?
There are two ways that you can prevent termites from making your home their next victim.
- Do a liquid termite treatment every 5-7 years.
- Set termite bait stations around your home that need to be checked once per year.
The first option is doing a liquid termite treatment. These treatments, if done correctly with the right chemicals can prevent a termite infestation for years. If you decide to go this route we suggest having a liquid treatment done at least once every 5 years.
The second option is placing termite bait stations around your Rockwall home. Now there are a few kinds of termite bait stations on the market, some have to be checked as frequently as every 1-3 months, others every 12-16 months. The most common termite bait stations used in 2022 are Trelona ATBS bait stations and Sentricon termite baiting system. At Preferred Pest Management we prefer to use Trelona ATBS bait stations because of their longevity as it is more cost effective for our customers, and there are many studies that prove Trelona to be the most superior termite baiting system on the market.
Once you decide which method works best for your home, you can contact Rockwall’s pest and termite experts at Preferred Pest Management and we will gladly help you protect your home from termites. Our termite treatments, regardless of which method you prefer, come with warranties that give you peace of mind knowing that your home is protected from the damages that termites are very well known for causing.
Author: Griffin Thomas, Owner, Preferred Pest Management
Published November, 3rd 2022