Common Termite Myths In Plano You May Still Believe

How much do you know about termites? We're willing to bet that it's not nearly enough. Life is busy and most Plano residents have enough to keep them busy. Who has time to be scouring the internet to learn about termites? Often, the information folks have is what they've been told by others. Unfortunately, there are a few myths out there, and some of them can put your property at risk, if you believe them.

Myth: Termites Only Exist To Destroy

Let's start with one harmless myth that won't put you at risk. Would the world be a better place if we didn't have termites? We don't think so. They actually play a very important role in nature. They break down rotting wood and other organic matter and put nutrients into the soil. This helps to make forests strong and healthy. So they're not all bad. That having been said, no Plano resident should ever allow termites to live on or near their property.  

Myth: Termites Are Part Of The Ant Family

When you accidentally uncover termite workers on your property, you may think you've found tiny, pale-colored ants. A termite worker is only ⅛ of an inch long. It is difficult to examine its physical attributes closely enough to easily tell that it is a termite and not an ant. This could prevent you from taking appropriate actions to correct a termite threat.

Myth: Termite Infestations Are Easy To Detect

Termites damage wood, so it seems logical to assume that you'll see termite damage when termites start to feed. The problem is that most of the damage termites do is on the inside of wood. You can have millions of termites feeding on your home and not know it. These insects have an aversion to light, and subterranean termites avoid exposing themselves to air. These character traits cause termites to stay hidden. Plano residents usually detect termites by accident when they turn over a board or pick up a dead branch in the yard.

Myth: If I Provide A Food Source For Termites, They'll Leave My Home Alone

If you discover termite activity in your yard, you may consider putting a food source in your yard that is well away from your exterior walls. You might think that termites will prefer a stack or rotting branches and scrap wood, and you would be right. They do prefer rotting wood. Unfortunately, giving them a pile of rotting wood is a very bad idea. Here are a few reasons why:

• When termites find an ideal food source, they start bringing more food back to the colony. When the queen sees that there is lots of food for her babies, she makes more. This causes the colony to grow more quickly.
• When termites feed on a food source, they don't target the one source only. While termites feed on a pile of dead branches in your yard, they can also be feeding on a wood fence, shed, or deck.
• Termite workers can travel as far as the length of a football field in search of food. So, unless you have a very large property, you're probably not going to be able to put this food source far enough from your home where the termites will only feed on it, and not your home. 

Myth: Termites Can Eat Through Concrete

You might think so. When subterranean termites infest your home, and there are no signs of shelter tubes on the outside of the structure, it can make you think that they chewed a tunnel through the foundation. This will not be the case. Ever. Termites can't chew through concrete. What can happen is that worker termites find tiny cracks and work their way up through those cracks to get into the wood. Worker termites are very persistent.

Myth: If A House Has Been Treated For Termites, It's All Set

There are some products that offer protection from termites for years. If you have purchased a property that has had termiticide put into the soil, don't trust that it is going to keep your property safe from termite damage. Termiticide barriers must be maintained. The best way to do this is to have annual inspections and re-treatments as needed. 

Myth: I Can Deal With Termites Myself

We hope you don't believe this. While you can have some success controlling termites, you're not likely to know when your termite treatments have fallen short of the task. The warning signs termites provide are usually difficult to detect. A trained and certified termite control professional has to work hard, and use extensive knowledge, to find warning signs.

Protect Your Plano Property

If you live in Plano, Texas, reach out to All-Safe Pest & Termite to ensure the protection of your home. Our certified termite control professionals know what is required to guard against termite damage. We have the answer you're looking for.