Termites R NOT Us

It seems like a no-brainer: you think you may have termites, so you call your pest control company. But termite control is a separate industry, requiring different licenses, insurance and equipment. Many pest control companies do include termite divisions or subcontract their termite work. At Centurion, we do neither. So why are we blogging about termites? Because we often get questions from concerned homeowners and would like to help. 

There are at least 17 different varieties of termites in California. And in case you are wondering, as Noah is in the illustration above, why they are necessary - they make many positive contributions to the world's ecosystems. In fact, they are critical to the survival of the Sahara Desert, where they help reclaim soils damaged by heat and wind. But they don't help the ecosystem of your home if they decide to move in. So here are a few tips and places to go for more information.

Termites swarm in large numbers in warm months, especially early in the autumn here in San Diego. They look very much like flying ants. If you get close enough to examine them, you can distinguish a swarming termite from a flying ant by looking at some key elements. Flying ants have elbowed antennae, thin waists and wings with very few visible veins. Termites' antennae are straight, they have a thick waist and many small veins in their wings. If you see termites swarming near your house, you may want to call in a termite company to do an inspection.

Another sign of possible termite infestation is the appearance of termite droppings inside the house. Often the droppings are on window sills or by door posts. When you see a pile of material that looks like sawdust, clean it up, then find it again in the same place - call in a termite company to do an inspection. If it is addressed quickly localized treatment may be all that is necessary. To learn more about termites here in San Diego County, click here or here. For a referral to a local company we recommend, click here. As a note of interest, the US Department of Energy, in their search for sources of cleaner energy, have done research on using termites to replace fossil fuels through a process called metagenomics. Termites could be more valuable than any of us knew!