Termites
Termites are most common wood-destroying pests. They need moisture to survive, and live in underground colonies with networks of tunnels connecting them to food and water. Such colonies can reach up to hundreds of feet. The colony members consist of workers, soldiers and reproductive members. The majority of colony members are workers, which are sterile, and which gather food and water, build and repair tunnels and shelter tubes above ground, feed and groom other members of the colony and care for eggs and young.
Termite damage is not easy to observe. They feed inside the wood, along its softer parts. They don't create wood particles, and don't reduce wood to powder. The excavations within wood are often packed with soil. Badlky damaged wood may sound hollow when tapped, and to detect lesser damage one can use a screwdriver or a knife looking for hollowed areas.
Termites are present in large parts of Toronto, and spread rapidly. Termite infestation may be detected by the sudden appearance of winged termites (swarmers), or by the presence of mud tubes and wood damage. Swarmers (male and female) are approximately 6 to 7 mm long, winged, and vary in colour from black to yellow-brown.
Termites need to protect their bodies from a drying effects of air. To be able to move in exposed areas, they build shelter tubes out of mud and water. Shelter tubes are usually 6 mm to 2.5 cm wide. Presence of such tubes in cracks between boards is a sign of termite infestation. To establish whether it is an active colony, shelter tubes should be broken or removed, and then monitored to determine whether they are repaired or new ones constructed.
Spring is termite-breeding season. Although they spend most of their lives in the soil, at this time of year the males and females grow wings, swarm, and mate, establishing new colonies. Swarming is very brief, usually lasting less than an hour. Swarmers quickly shed their wings. A sign that the swarming has occurred is a presence of thousands of half-inch long wings in cobwebs, on window sills, or on the basement or patio floor. The presence of winged termites or their shed wings inside a home should warn the owner of termite infestation.
A natural home owner's reaction would be one of panic. When such evidence of termites' presence is discovered inside the house or near its foundation, that may signal a problem. Termites, however, damage wood very slowly, so there is time to interview termite control companies, get estimates, and only then make a decision on the company and treatment that should be used.
There are choices of treatments to rid the house of termites. In 'barrier' treatment, chemicals are injected into the ground around the perimeter, to prevent termites from getting into the house. Another treatment uses poisons which are not noticed by termites. When the insects walk over the chemical, it gets on their bodies, and is spread within the colony by grooming. In some cases a bait stations are placed in the soil around the house. These stations contain pieces of wood. The stations are checked monthly, and if termite activity is found, the bait is replaced with poison. Again, the poison is acting slowly, and termites share it with the rest of the colony. Whole colony is usually destroyed within a couple of months.
