As the weather heats up, you’ll likely notice an increase in pests around your home. While there are many critters to contend with, there’s one pest that often goes unnoticed until it’s too late; flying termites or alates. These flying termites belong to the same species as their subterranean counterparts and play a crucial role in termite colonies. Let’s have a look into why you should pay close attention to these winged insects and why annual termite inspections are essential.
The Role of Alates
Flying termites, known as alates, emerge in the warmer months. Unlike their underground peers, alates can withstand sunlight as long as the air is humid and still. Their primary purpose is to establish new colonies, potentially becoming future kings and queens. Intriguingly, the original colony highly values alates. So much so that soldier termites will venture out of their underground domain to protect the alates during their launch.
You might wonder why you should be concerned about them taking flight. They often number in the thousands, and their sole mission is to find a suitable location to start their own colony. Your home’s vicinity might offer the ideal conditions for this. Once they infiltrate your home, they get to work quickly.
Termites are notorious for their relentless quest for food sources. Despite their diminutive size, they possess sheer numerical superiority. Their lifestyle allows them to move around undetected for extended periods. Out of sight, out of mind, until you stumble upon holes in your kitchen cabinets or your foot breaks through a floorboard. By that point, they may have inflicted extensive damage, potentially costing you thousands of dollars in repairs.
The Importance of Termite Inspections
Understanding the destructive potential of termites, it becomes evident why annual termite inspections are paramount. Termites have been known to cause more damage than fire, floods and storms combined. Shockingly, most home insurance policies do not cover termite damage. The risk of termite infestations is a reality that every homeowner should acknowledge. And when termites become uninvited houseguests, they can quickly become the most expensive guests you’ve ever hosted.
For more decades now, we have been serving local residents, offering termite treatments and inspections. We’ve witnessed firsthand the financial strain termites can impose on families and in some dire cases, termite induced damage has left people homeless, rendering their properties unlivable.
Protect Your Home
To safeguard your home from this silent menace, schedule an annual termite inspection conducted by a professional pest control company. Moreover, it’s wise to ensure your home’s termite treatment is up to date. While new homes are required to undergo termite treatment during construction, these treatments have a limited lifespan and necessitate maintenance. If you’re unsure about when your last treatment took place, check your metre box. Most reputable companies affix a sticker inside your meter box, specifying the date of treatment completion and the expected lifespan of the chemical used.
Don’t leave your home’s safety to chance. Take action today to protect your biggest investment from the costly havoc termites can wreak. For comprehensive information on termite inspections and treatments, please don’t hesitate to contact our team right away.