What, Do, and How: Everything to Know About Termites

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What to Know About Termites

Most homeowners don’t want to think about termites. It’s understandable, considering these pests can take down a structure in a very short period of time. Not only can they destroy a home, but many of the things within it, too. It’s important that as a homeowner however, you do understand how these pests live, and what they do. Knowing the answers to some common questions makes it much easier to fight against them, and maybe even keep them from invading in the first place. It’s for this reason that we’ve created this guide that tells you everything you wanted to know, or didn’t, about termites. 

What do termites look like?

There are more than 40 different species of termites in the United States. Each species has distinct characteristics, but most of them look similar to each other. Termites are very small, about the size of an ant. They measure between one-quarter inch to one-half inch in length. They have soft bodies and straight antennae, unlike ants that have bent antennae. Worker termites are typically paler in color while swarming termites appear darker. 

What do baby termites look like?

Baby termites do not have a transition phase from larvae to adult, as some other pests do. Instead, they hatch from eggs looking like a very small termite. Young termites are usually white in color.

What do termites eat?

Termites eat cellulose, the most abundant organic compound found in nature. It is the main component of plants and is even found in many everyday objects. Termites seek out this cellulose in plants, cotton fibers, paper products, and wood.  

What causes termites?

There are a few elements that attract termites to a home. These include:

  • Moisture, such as standing water or leaky pipes
  • Wood that comes into contact with a home, such as stacked firewood
  • Openings in a home’s foundation, walls, or roof
  • Geography, as some areas are more prone to infestations

What color are termites?

Young termites are pale in color, typically white or off-white. Adult subterranean termite swarmers are solid black, while adult drywood swarmers are solid red.

Are termites attracted to light?

Termites are nocturnal. As such, they are attracted to light at night including porch lamps, motion lights, and light coming from the interior of the home. When swarming, termites are attracted to utility lights as well. 

Can you hear termites?

There are three main sounds homeowners may hear if they have a termite infestation. The first is a dry rattle. When termites sense danger, they bang their heads against the walls of their tunnels to warn other termites. This causes a rattling sound. Termites also make a papery rustling sound as they move about the tunnels working. Lastly, homeowners may also hear a hollow sound when they tap the wood of their home. These are the voids left in the wood after termites eat their way through it. 

Where do termites come from?

Termites come from the ground, where they build large colonies. Colonies are typically built in areas that have large trees or old, rotted wood. Termites can fly away from the colony and will fly about 50 feet at a time. Once they have found a suitable location to start a new colony, they will land and start to create one. 

What Do Termites Do? Do termites fly?

Subterranean termites do fly during the swarming season when they look for a mate and start a new colony. These termites don’t fly well though, and after settling on the ground, soon lose their wings.

Do termites bite?

Termites can bite invading insects such as ants or termites of a different species. They can also chew through wood, causing extensive damage to homes. Termites, however, are not known to bite humans.

Does mulch attract termites?

Years ago there was a theory that chain stores were spreading termites through bags of mulch. This was proven to be untrue. However, there are certain things about mulch that termites like. It’s not the wood in mulch that attracts termites, but the moisture. Mulch can attract termites because it’s a good place for them to form their colony, or support an existing one. 

Do termites bite humans?

Termites are not known to bite humans.

Does homeowners’ insurance cover termites?

According to the National Pest Management Association, termites cost American homeowners approximately $5 billion annually. Unfortunately, homeowners’ insurance does not usually cover the cost of termite damage. Infestations can often be prevented through regular home maintenance, which is the homeowner’s responsibility. However, certain damage the termites cause, such as a fire caused by wiring they chewed through, is covered by homeowners’ insurance. 

The How’s of Termite. How can you tell if you have termites?

Termite infestations have some common characteristics. If you think you have termites, look for these signs. 

  • Clicking sounds in the walls, which is the termites banging their heads against a tunnel
  • Wings that have been shed on windowsills or doorways
  • The presence of white ants around the home, which homeowners often mistake termites for
  • Hollow sound in wood around the home
  • Doors and windows that are suddenly tight-fitting and hard to open
  • Tunnels in wood or wood around the home
  • Termite droppings, otherwise known as frass, which are small black marks or a dark powdery substance

How long do termites live?

The queen of a colony can live up to ten years. Typically, worker termites only live for one to two years. 

What’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Termites? Call a Missouri Pest Control Service

One of the most common questions homeowners have is how to get rid of termites when an infestation has started. The only way to do it is to call a pest control service in Missouri. At Amco Ranger, we know how frustrating termites are, but we also know you don’t have to let them destroy your home. Call us today at (636) 441-2847 or fill out our online form. After inspecting your home for termites, we’ll use our knowledge and skill to get rid of the pests, and prevent them from coming back in the future. 

Bed Bugs: How and Why are They in My Home?

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Bed bugs are a nuisance, and notoriously difficult to get rid of. They also spread quickly and easily, leaving just about anyone susceptible to finding the critters in their home. Understanding these pests and how they live can help prevent them from getting into your home, and help you deal with an infestation should one occur.

How do You get Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are skilled hitchhikers. They are often transported by humans through belongings such as suitcases. They are also transported in purses, backpacks, and other items with soft surfaces. When bed bugs are disturbed, they will move to other areas. This can cause other areas, such as storage that contains clothing, more difficult to spot and treat. Bed bugs can also travel between different units in apartment buildings and hotels. 

What Causes Bed Bugs?

While bed bugs can find their way to just about anywhere, there are some factors that will put you more at risk for finding them in your home. These common causes of bed bugs are:

  • International travel
  • Changes to pest control management practices
  • Resistance to pesticide

How do You Know if You Have Bed Bugs?

It’s easiest to treat bed bugs if you can catch them early. Some common signs and symptoms that will alert you to a bed bug problem are:

  • Red, itchy bites
  • Uncomfortable nights, as that is when bed bugs feed
  • Blood stains that look like small rust spots on the bed
  • Oval brown exoskeletons left behind as bed bugs molt
  • Strong, unpleasant, musty odor

How to Prevent Bed Bugs?

Of course, the best method for dealing with bed bugs is to prevent them from entering your home at all. Some good ways to do that include:

  • Cover power outlets. Bed bugs hide in these to avoid extermination and can use them to travel to other areas of a home or building. 
  • Store clothing in vacuum-sealed bags. This is particularly important when traveling, as bed bugs are easily transported from hotels to clothing in suitcases. Doing this at home can also prevent a bed bug infestation.
  • Call a pest control service. When an infestation has already begun, a pest control service is the most effective way to eliminate it. However, these services can also take preventative measures to help protect your home.
  • Declutter. Clutter provides a good hiding spot for bed bugs. Remove all clutter from your home, particularly if it’s pushed up against walls. 
  • Cover your mattress and box spring. This is one of the best ways to prevent a bed bug infestation. 
  • Inspect used items. Bed bugs easily travel in clothing, furniture, and other items that people often purchase used. Before bringing anything into your home from someone else’s, inspect it thoroughly to ensure it does not house bed bugs.
  • Use your own blankets. When moving, movers often include blankets to help protect furniture. These blankets have been on several other pieces of furniture that could have contained bed bugs. Use your own blankets instead. 
  • Caulk. Cracks on the interior and exterior of a home allow bed bugs to travel relatively freely. Repair these cracks by caulking them, and seal bed bugs out.

How do Bed Bugs Spread?

Bed bugs live in soft, often upholstered areas such as bedding, couches, and clothing. Mature bed bugs and their eggs are often found in new and used furniture and clothing. Bed bugs can crawl and so, they can easily spread from one room of a home to another. They are also very adept at finding their way in between multiple units of a housing complex. Bed bugs are most commonly spread from boxes, suitcases, and other items that are taken from one place of accommodation or residence to another. 

How can You Detect Bed Bugs?

The first signs of bed bugs are either red, itchy bite marks on the body, or the rusty blood stains they leave behind on beds and other furniture. 

What Attracts Bed Bugs?

Bed bugs are attracted to warm-blooded creatures. They need these hosts, which include humans, pets, and rodents, to feed from. Your breathing attracts bed bugs from the carbon dioxide you exhale. Your body temperature attracts bed bugs because you are generally the warmest thing in a room. According to this 2013 report, if you’re alive, you attract bed bugs.

A Missouri Pest Control Service can Help You Control Bed Bugs

Bed bugs are certainly no fun to deal with, and your home could easily become infested with them. To prevent bed bugs from entering your home, or to get rid of them if they already have, you need the help of an experienced pest control service in Missouri. At Amco Ranger, we have the tools and the knowledge necessary to eliminate bed bugs from your home once for good. Call us today at (636) 441-2847 to learn more about how we can protect your home. 

 

How To Prevent Mosquito Bites

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It’s backyard barbecue season, and you’re not the only one planning a feast. The mosquitoes are out and ready to chow down. Preventing mosquito bites should be a priority, because they can carry deadly diseases, like the West Nile or Zika viruses.

Here are some ways that you can avoid these pesky pests.

Blow them away with a breeze

Almost anybreeze – anything above 1 MPH – makes it difficult for mosquitoes to fly. If you can pick a breezy spot for your summer outing, that can help prevent mosquito bites. Plug-in fans are also a great deterrent. Keep the flow of air directed at the lower half of your body; mosquitoes tend to fly very close to the ground to avoid wind, so directing the fan’s force downward will block their approach.

Avoid peak mosquito hours

Just like you, mosquitoes crave a meal during certain times of day, and it’s often around dusk and dawn. That’s because the wind typically dissipates as the sun rises and sets, which brings mosquitoes out to feed. If you can try to stay inside during these times when the weather is warm, you’ll be able to prevent some mosquito bites.

Rub on some DEET before you head outdoors

DEET has a bad reputation, but adverse reactions to it are rare and typically happen when used incorrectly. When used as directed, it’s extremely effective, since it blocks a mosquito’s CO2 receptors.

The best way to use DEET is not to spray it on your body and clothes like perfume. Instead, squirt a little onto your hands and rub it onto your ankles, elbows, wrists, forehead, and all the other places where your skin is thin and where mosquitoes love to feed.

Use other mosquito repellents if you’re not into DEET

There are other options that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for use in repelling mosquitoes, including Picaridin, IR3535, Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), Para-menthane-diol (PMD), and 2-undecanone. If you’re at the store and you’re not sure if a repellent has these ingredients, your safest bet is to look for the Environmental Protection Agency approval on the product’s label. Then you will know it’s effective and safe.

Try to stay cool

This can be easier said than done in the summer, but mosquitoes are drawn to pheromones released in your sweat. This can vary from person to person. Some people attract mosquitoes regardless of what they drink, eat, or wear.

Wear tightly woven, light-colored clothes

Mosquitoes can’t penetrate clothing that has a very tight weave. While cotton and linen typically aren’t great armor against mosquito bites, many synthetic fibers – particularly high-tech athletic apparel – tend to be woven tightly enough to keep bugs out. Any garment that offers sun protection will also have a tight enough weave to prevent mosquito bites, especially when you opt for long sleeves and pants.

Mosquitoes also use their vision to search for food sources during the daylight hours. Since they fly very close to the ground, they tend to find targets by looking for things that contrast with the horizon. Dark colors stand out, and light colors are less attractive to them.

Avoid scented products

Any scented perfume, lotion, or soap could potentially attract mosquitoes. If you want to reduce your attractiveness to mosquitoes, avoid scented products in general.

Give your heart a breather

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the primary thing mosquitoes search for to identify food sources. When your heart rate is elevated, your body produces more CO2. From exercise to drinking alcohol to eating spicy foods, anything that cranks up your metabolic rate will increase your CO2 production and make you irresistible to mosquitoes. If you’re outdoors and know your heart rate will be spiking, make sure you wear protective clothing and apply a repellent to keep bites at bay.

Get rid of standing water

Mosquitoes can easily breed in small containers of water like a birdbath or water sitting around your plants. Do your best to clear out any standing water to lower the odds that you’ll have lots of mosquitoes in your yard.

Adding mosquito-repelling plants to your property

This shouldn’t be your only mosquito-combating strategy, but certain plants may help discourage mosquitoes from hovering near your house. Mosquito-repelling plants include citronella, lavender, lemongrass, marigolds, and basil.

While these plants may lower the number of mosquitoes around your place, even planted in large quantities, the potency of these plants would not be enough to keep mosquitoes out of your yard entirely. The same goes for citronella candles and oils. They do repel insects, but they only work if the scent or smoke gets between you and the mosquito.

Spray your yard

If you live in an area where the mosquitoes are unbearable, it might be worth hiring a professional to come and treat your yard with insecticide. This treatment will do a good job of ensuring that mosquitoes won’t come anywhere near your property.

We Can Help

If you are having issues with mosquitoes, give Amco Ranger a call to get a free quote for professional, ongoing defense in your yard. Treatments are tailored to your property and are applied by certified, trained technicians. Give us a call today if you need help getting rid of pests in your home in Cottleville, St. Peters, O’Fallon, St. Charles, St. Louis, and surrounding communities.

Is it Worth it to Pay for Regular Termite Protection?

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Homeowners will do just about anything to protect their homes. They invest in burglar alarms, smoke alarms, and a number of other items specifically to protect their home. When it comes to regular termite protection however, many homeowners wonder if it’s worth it. So, is it? The answer will largely depend on where you live, and the structure of your home. For those in Missouri, it’s always a good idea to contact a Missouri exterminator that can determine if a regular termite protection plan is right for you.

Why Missouri Homeowners Should have Termite Protection

If you live in Missouri and own a home, you have likely asked yourself at some point, “Is it worth it to pay for termite protection?” The answer is nearly always a resounding, “Yes!”

Termites are active all across Missouri. According to the Termite Infestation Probability Zone Map (TIP Zones), Missouri is a TIP Zone #2. This means that termites are moderate to heavy throughout the state. This means there is great potential for termite damage to a home, and that homeowners in Missouri need as much protection as possible.

Termites typically swarm on warm days after it rains, but swarms can also occur during the winter in heated buildings. Different types of termites swarm at different times of the year. The only months that aren’t considered swarming season are January and February. As such, Missouri homeowners need to protect themselves all year round.

In Missouri, it is definitely worthwhile to pay for regular termite protection. Termites are widespread and very active throughout the state and so, protecting your home is of the utmost importance.

Routine Pest Control Services

In addition to simply protecting your home, you’ll reap many more benefits when you choose a routine pest control service.

Pests bring with them all types of diseases. Mosquitos, fleas, ants, bed bugs, and rodents all carry diseases. It’s possible for you or your family members to become sick from a bite, or from coming into contact with the animal’s waste. Termites are not known to carry diseases harmful to humans, but they can exacerbate symptoms of asthma, and worsen allergies. A pest control expert can ensure this doesn’t happen.

Pests don’t only destroy your home. They can also destroy anything you have in your home. Rodents can chew through wires and termites can make a building inhabitable in a short amount of time. Rodents will find their way into your food source, as will ants and other pests. An exterminator can prevent and correct these problems so you can enjoy your home, and the things in it, once again.

One of the biggest benefits of routine pest control services is that you’ll have year-long protection and never have to deal with pests in your home. A pest control service will stop problems before they start, so you never unknowingly stumble across a pest, or the damage they cause.

Regular Termite Treatments

Regular termite treatments are especially beneficial in Missouri. First, a technician will inspect your property, looking for signs of existing termite colonies. If any are spotted, they will determine where the termites are feeding and ensure termites have access to bait in these areas. These stations contain scientifically proven termite bait that will destroy the entire colony. Every service, the bait stations are inspected, monitored, and maintained.

The unique distinction between these bait traps and chemical treatments is that the bait stations will not break down over time. As long as the colony has been eliminated and you are receiving regular termite treatments, you will never have to deal with the pests again.

Homeowners also find bait traps less disruptive to their lives. There are no large tank trucks filled with a chemical solution on their property, and the ground and water around their home is not contaminated. Also, because the baits are set into the soil around the home, there is no need to drill into the foundation or floors.

Contact a Pest Control Expert in Missouri Today

Is it worth it to pay for regular termite protection? The answer for homeowners in Missouri is always an emphatic, “Yes!” If you are living with termites or any other pest, or want to protect your home from future infestations, call the experienced Missouri pest control experts today. At Amco Ranger, we use only the highest-quality products to ensure pests are eliminated, while the people in your home remain protected. Call us at (636) 441-2847 to get rid of pests today, and live a pest-free lifestyle tomorrow.

Why Mosquitoes Prefer to Bite Certain People More Than Others

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If you are wondering what attracts mosquitoes to you and not other people this summer, you may be surprised to learn that mosquitoes actually know which people they like best. Only female mosquitoes draw blood because they need the protein to produce eggs. When making a targeting decision, a female mosquitoes’ choice is not random.

Studies have shown that mosquitoes remember the taste and smell of human blood and often choose individuals whose blood tastes “sweeter” to them. The following are common factors that have been identified to make a person more attractive to these pests.

Body odor
Bacterial colonies combined with sweat generate that sweet human scent we call body odor. Without the bacteria, our sweat would be odorless; with the bacteria, our sweat is one of the more attractive scents for mosquitoes. There are measures you can take like washing regularly to reduce body odor. However, be careful of fragrant scents that can also draw mosquitoes.

Secretions
About 80% of people secrete compounds known as saccharides and antigens through their skin. Secretors are magnets for mosquitoes. Your classification as a secretor is determined by your biology, and there isn’t anything you can do to put yourself in the non-secretor category.

Blood type
Depending on the type of blood you have, you secrete different scents. Studies have shown that mosquitoes are most attracted to Type O blood and least attracted to Type-A.

Lactic acid
Lactic acid is emitted through your skin when you are active or eating certain foods. Mosquitoes are more attracted to people with a greater build-up of lactic acid on their skin.

Body temperature
The higher your body temperature is, the faster the mosquitoes will find you. Once they get within a few yards, they can sense the heat and will easily find you.

Dark Clothing
Mosquitoes are most attracted to dark colors. They use their vision to locate targets from a distance, and people wearing dark clothing are easier to see.

Perfume and Scented Lotions
Fragrances are known to attract mosquitoes. Floral scents are especially attractive.

Drinking Alcohol
Drinking alcohol makes your skin give off a chemical that attracts mosquitoes. Alcohol also increases body temperature, which is another huge mosquito attractor.

Pregnant Woman
Pregnant women attract twice as many mosquitoes as a non-pregnant woman. This is because a pregnant woman exhales more carbon dioxide than other people, in addition to running higher body temperatures and having more blood circulating through their bodies than the average person.

We Can Help

If you are having issues with mosquitoes, give Amco Ranger a call to get a free quote for professional, ongoing defense in your yard. Treatments are tailored to your property and are applied by certified, trained technicians. Give us a call today if you need help getting rid of pests in your home in Cottleville, St. Peters, O’Fallon, St. Charles, St. Louis, and surrounding communities.

How Do I Prevent Termites From Attacking My Home?

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Termites feed on the moisture within wood and various other materials. Worker termites spend all day chewing up your home and then returning to their nest to supply the warrior and reproductive castes of termites with the food they need but cannot get themselves. Once you have an infestation, these hard workers will spend 24 hours a day removing large chunks of your home. Unlike people, termites don’t sleep.

So, if you’ve had a recent infestation exterminated, you’re probably wondering how you can prevent a future one. Below, we’ll discuss how homes set themselves up for a termite infestation and what you can do to prevent one.

Access Denied

One of the most effective ways of keeping termites out of your home is simply sealing their main areas of entry. The Amco Ranger techs provide our clients with preventative inspections that remove current infestations and prevent future ones.

What can you do?

  • Seal cracks – Termites gain access to your home through tiny cracks in the foundation or areas where your gas and water lines have gaps. When these are sealed, there’s one less way for termites to enter your home. In some cases, all you will need to do is apply a fresh coat of paint around likely areas.
  • Reduce wood-to-ground contact – Areas where you have wood in contact with the ground must be reduced to the extent possible or completely sealed. Subterranean termites will gain access to homes here. If removal is not an option, treating the area with anti-termite pesticide is a good option.
  • Replace weather stripping and loose mortar around the basement– Make certain that the termites aren’t getting in through the windows or the areas where the windows meet your basement walls.
  • Schedule periodic sprays and inspections – Pest control experts are trained to think like termites (it’s not very hard). We know how termites get into homes and we know why your home is attractive to termites. Scheduling annual or periodic inspections and sprays after a major termite infestation will prevent a future one.

No Food For You

Keeping termites out is one thing. Making your home unattractive to termites can be just as effective. Termites feed on the cellulose in plant material. Any extra wood you have lying around is a potential food source. If you have wood siding, it should be at least six inches off the ground. You can also find cellulose-free mulch which won’t be nearly as attractive to termites.

If there is a lot of dead wood in your backyard, you’ll want to remove it. Drywood termites will consider it food. Additionally, you want to protect any firewood or other lumber you have out back.

In other words, you want to make your home a less-than-ideal target for a potential termite infestation.

No Moisture Sources

Moisture is to termites what poop is to flies. You’ll want to fix things like:

  • Leaky faucets or plumbing problems – You’ll want to check under your sink and make sure plumbing problems aren’t making your home more attractive to termites.
  • Moisture in crawlspaces and basements – You want to make sure that your washing machine is properly ventilated and that your basement isn’t overly prone to moisture. Cracks in your foundation can cause water to pool and this results in a major termite attraction.

Other areas that will need to be addressed are:

  • Air conditioner condensation lines,
  • Gutters, and
  • Areas under sinks.

Preventing Termite Exposure Before Your Home Is Built

If you’re thinking about building a home, the best time to think about termite control is before the home is built. Anti-termite strategies begin before the home is built and continue during the construction. Basaltic Termite Barriers are made of particles that are packed so tightly together that termites can’t penetrate the barrier. Termite mesh can be used around joints in concrete which have holes too small for termites to pass through. Lastly, there are termite-resistance options for wood that can be used during the construction process such as pressure-treated wood and heartwood.

Amco Ranger Pest Control Experts Can Help With Termite Protection

Termite prevention is complex because there are different kinds of termites and they generally access homes in different ways. Sometimes, inspecting your home is enough to keep termites out for good. Other times, you will need periodic treatments in order to eradicate nearby termite populations. In either event, Amco Ranger offers a top-quality cost-effective option to prevent your most valuable asset from preventable damage.

We service St. Charles and St. Louis in Missouri Talk to us today for a free inspection.