Whether you are encountering drywood or dampwood termites, the chances are you probably have a battle on your hands with subterranean termites. Now this class of little bugs are the most common and can be found in almost all states in the United States except one. And that is almost because the cold prevents them from building their colonies and nesting their termite eggs.

Now how do you know what a termite looks like? Are you able to differentiate it from ants? It would be funny and a total waste of money and time if you thought you were attacked by termites but in actual fact what was invading your home was an ant nest. This happens quite often as many people do not know proper termite identification so do not be embarrassed or too worried. Just find out what the differences between an ant and a termite are and you will be on your way.

So now that you know for sure that termites are eating away the house, what can and should you do to destroy them? Repairing termite damage can be quite a chore and expensive one at that, but there are many ways in which you can stop that from happening and at the same time do a good job of self pest control. In fact, you might be able to get away with not hiring a company to do that, although spending some money can make it more convenient and you do not need to get your hands dirty.

What methods are effective in termite pest control and preventing damage to your home from such insects? One way of course you know is to hire pest control companies to do that. But like I said, you need to spend, and sometimes they try to push maintenance contracts to you. This might mean they have not given you the complete termite treatment, and there might be the nest or eggs left somewhere which opens you to further subsequentafrican termite mounds, drywood termites, log cabin, signs of termites, subterranean termites, termite, termite control, termite damage, termite eggs, termite identification, termite life cycle, termite looks like, termite nest, Termite Pest Control, Termites, what do termites look like attacks. So can you trust such termite control companies? You never know for sure.

Other options include doing it yourself. But unless you enjoy looking for cracks and crevices, or digging up tree stumps and dirty earth to look for termite nests, it might be quite a challenge. Do you enjoy getting in contact with chemical sprays which will kill termites? If you did not bother to build your home with treated wood to combat subterranean termites, for example, then you have to cure a problem instead of preventing it.

Look for sure signs of termites, such as wooden doors breaking down or cracks where you can see white insects looking like ants burrowing in and out. Again if you are not sure, try to get pictures of a termite to make sure you identify them correctly. Once confirmed, it would be the right time to treat and attack these pests.

Here are some suggestions as to what you can do to prevent or get rid of termites in your home. They have been proven to get results for most people if done right and consistently.

Keep Your Home And Surroundings Free of Unwanted Items

Especially that of items made from wood or other wood based material such as paper or cardboard. Termites love areas which have wood and moisture. It is even better if these combine to give you decomposing wood. So get rid of any such items or keep them stored securely and tightly in metal containers or such, to prevent termites from detecting them.

Protect Wooden Components In Your House

Again, keep any wooden parts of your house from attack of termites. If possible, ensure that your wooden furniture are made from treated or processed wood that contains chemicals to turn away the bugs.

Regular Maintenance Of Your Home

Prevent or reduce the incidence of cracks in your house. This includes cracks in brick walls or metal parts, as termites are quick to burrow through such openings to look for any wood. Fill up these cracks periodically.

Reduce Moisture

Lower the risk of moisture creeping into your home and leading to wood decomposition. That will attract termites to your home. Buy de-humidifiers or appliances that can help to control the level of moisture in your home. Such prevention will go a long way in eradicating the problem of termites in your house.

The above are some great methods for the budget conscious in termite prevention and elimination. The best option would always be to get pest control assistance, but if you wish to save some money, use some effort and employ the tips mentioned here.

So what can you do to control or eliminate termite damage? One basic method is to simply contact a termite pest control company to look into your problem and apply the different treatment methods available. However, you need to ensure the ones chosen should provide permanent destruction of the termite colonies invading your home, instead of a temporary warding off of the bugs.

A very common method used is that of using barriers. Barriers are set up around the potential entry points for termites into your home, by placing poison in the ground which can kill these insects. This method, however potent, has its loopholes and it requires constant maintenance. Termites can simply try to find a way round the barriers, so you need to ensure all routes are covered.

As subterranean termites are the most common types found in the United States, most of the pest control companies should be familiar with available measures used to control and destroy these pests. Yet, many pest control companies fail to be around for a long time due to different reasons. This means you have to do your homework and find a termite pest control company that has experienced certain longevity. This will provide some assurance required for long-standing termite maintenance work.

Also look out for companies which provide extra maintenance contractually. Do not worry about being tied to a long standing contract with regard to termite pest control. If you have experienced termite attack and damage in your home, be sure that the problem can and will return despite destruction of existing colonies. This is because due to the climate conditions your home is in, that already provides a potential breeding ground for termites regardless.

Why should you be able to know if it is ants or termites that you see? One reason is the cost of pest control that you will hire. Getting rid of ants can be done yourself by tracing the ant trail and burning the nest. Finding termite nests is much tougher as they can hide buried deep in the ground. That is why you should hire professional pest control companies to provide expert assistance.

So how can you spot a termite from an ant? There are currently hundreds of termite species and they differ in traits and appearance. The rank of a termite in its colony can also be told from its physical appearance.

While ants are usually little and black in color except for red ants which will not be mistaken for termites, termites can range in different shades of brown. Queen termites are usually the ones with different colors, but you would not need to know them too well as they are often found only within termite nests. They also have more wings than other termite ranks. Four large wings compared to the usual two.

Soldier termites on the other hand are commonly in a shade of yellowish brown. These are the termites which can hurt you, with huge powerful mandibles. Their heads are also larger than the termites of other ranks.

Finally, worker termites are the tiniest of the line because of their function. They are also easy to differentiate from ants. Worker termites are white in color. They are the ones that you would normally see in your wooden furniture, attacking and breaking down your home as they gather food and material for their nests and colonies.

From the above, you should have an easier job of telling the difference between ants and termites. Remember that it is important that you know, as termites are more dangerous and difficult to get rid of, compared to ants.

The problem is quickly compounded if you live in a region where air dampness is common. When you get a combination of wood and damp conditions, it can quickly mean a termite nest. An ants nest can be simply destroyed, but if a termite colony lives in or near your home, without destroying the nest, your home can in turn be the one that is torn down.

So what can you do to prevent termites from carrying out an occupation of your home like the Japanese did with the rest of Asia in World War II?

1. Ensure there are no wooden scraps and tree stumps in or near your home and its foundation, especially the stumps. They are prime locations for a termite colony and they will migrate to your house the minute you start building it.

2. Constantly check for cracks or breaks in your house. Do not limit checks to just wooden parts. Termites are known to creep into cracks in brick walls as well, before attacking the wooden portions in the rest of the home.

3. Install moisture absorbers in your home. Termites love wood. They also enjoy damp conditions for their breeding ground.

4. Keep your home well-drained. Moisture absorbers are baby steps. Keeping your home dry through proper drainage is a major foundation.

5. Wood can add so much to the visual aesthetics of a home, but a smart person will keep it to the minimum. The less wood you have, the less appealing your house is to termites.

6. Schedule periodic maintenance by a pest control company if necessary, especially if your home is situated in a prime region for termite damage.

These are just some of the more basic measures in termite prevention. If you do not want these bugs to destroy your dream home, take early steps in strong termite control.