February 5th 2012
This video shows what live termites will look like when discovered in Advance Termite Bait Stations. It also will explain how to know when an old inspection cartridge should be replaced due to rot or too much moisture as well as when they are in good enough condition to be left in service.
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October 5th 2011
Termites swarm when the weather gets warm. As you can see in the video these termites have wings. Normally termites do not have wings; termites only grow wings when they are ready for the colony to go into reproduction. This video shows a well-established subterranean termite colony swarming from a crack in the concrete outside a residential home in Anaheim, CA. Many homes built on old orange groves will have a tendency to be infested with subterranean termites because the land was previously used for farming oranges. Entomologist Laurie Jo Jensen of The Termite Guy in San Clemente, CA says that she’s able to determine that this is a large termite infestation because their mud tubes are emerging more than 7 to 10 feet away from any wood source, indicative of a large colony. In this video you can see that the wind is blowing so hard their little wings are being all flung about by the mighty Santa Ana gusts. Because of a bad Santa Ana wind condition on this day, instead of flying right out into the gusty wind, the termite swarmers were crawling. By walking instead of flying in such harsh conditions the termites better their ability to find a mating partner.
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September 10th 2011
We have recently noticed a hole in our 80-year old wood floor that seems to be accumulating frass around it each night. The frass appears to be comprised mostly of dead insect (small, ant-sized opaque shells, almost like a molt) than sawdust. I have noticed distnct insect parts like heads with visible mandibles in the frass.
I invited an exterminator to come examine the damage and he automatically blamed termites because he "saw mud" in the hole. I, however, argued that what he thought was mud was actually wood putty from a pervious fix by the previous owner and spat on the "mud" and scrubbed it vigorously to prove my point. I also tried to point out to him that the frass was not sawdust, but was actual dead insects, but I guess his eyes weren’t so good.
Anyway, my real question here is now he has us beleiving we have termites even though my gut feeling is leaning toward caprenter ants, and is trying to sell us a 00 treatment (knocked down from 00 with "special discounts") even though there are zero mud lines to be seen, there is frass consistent with carpenter ant activity and we have even found small black ants near the hole… not to mention we live in Denver, where I have been told termites barely even exist.
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts as to what this might be.
Thanks for your time.
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March 10th 2011
Hear a Ranger explain about Termites and Termite Mounds in Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory.
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June 12th 2010
A termite colony is shown in this clip including workers and soldier termites. You can see just what they look like, how small they are, and how they move.
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March 12th 2010
I saw something on the outside wall. I want to know it is mud tunnels or not. how can I upload the photo to let you see and tell me the answer. Can termites fly or jump ? How can I know my house has termites or not ? Thanks.
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