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.

How can you prevent and treat your log cabin home from termites? What many people fail to do is a pre-construction treatment of the wooden material used to build the log cabin. By using wood that is processed in chemicals which prevent termite inhabitation and delayed fungus growth, such as borate treatment, the bugs will not choose your home to nest their eggs or use it as food. The risks these treated woods pose for humans are also low.

Building your log cabin with wood that has been coated with chemicals or materials to reduce moisture retention is also crucial to warding off damp wood termites. Mix this with borate treatment and you have a combination that can provide protection from both damp and dry wood termites. Always remember to choose lumbar that is of high quality. As much as this might be a strain on budget, it can make the difference between a long lasting log home and one that is quickly eaten away by termites.

When building your wooden home, communicate constantly with your contractor. Check that there are no wooden scraps and tree stumps in and near your home foundation. These can pose a risk when they decompose and termites will be attracted to nesting there. Prevention is better than cure. And is most importantly in a situation to ward off these creepy crawlies.

Wooden parts within your log cabin are also targets for termites. Use termite shields (small metallic pieces) that will shut off termites from these wooden portions. The most common parts are usually the sill plates.

The above are some of the basic things any prospective log cabin owners should look out for when building their homes with a plan to prevent termite damage. There are many other areas to take note of, but these are the first and foremost more important points. Take care of them, and you will be on your way to preventing termites from chewing away your dream log cabin home.

What are the kinds of termites that you should know and are commonly the ones causing problems for people? You have the damp wood termites which are usually found in the northwest regions where wood is normally wet in nature. Then there are the dry wood termites which prefer non-temperate regions and therefore mostly in the tropics. Finally, the next most common are the subterranean termites which are incidentally the toughest to control and exterminate due to their hardy nature and are everywhere.

How do you determine if you have a termite problem, other than calling a pest control company to perform a check? If you notice holes in your wooden furniture and housing parts, that is a surefire sign that the situation exists in your home. Rather than wait, hurry and contact a pest control company. They will give a definitive answer and provide extermination services on the spot if required. Do not worry about the costs of pest control. They are usually relatively cheap and in the long run, it is better to spend to rid you of termites, than to spend thousands more on destroyed furniture and housing because of an untreated pest problem.

When the termite pest control company is performing the checks on your home, make sure to find out what type of termites is plaguing your home, and what treatment they will be carrying out. It is not enough to kill the bugs that are visible. The best solution is to find the colony and exterminate it. Request the pest control company to seek out the nest and destroy the eggs. This will prevent them from returning and re-infestation. Also ensure that a period of regular checks can be carried out by the company to guarantee the problem does not return.

Termites can be a frustrating and destructive problem, but it is certainly treatable and preventable. If you spot termite damage, do not let the situation get drawn out. Find a pest control company immediately for a fast assessment and treatment. The money spent will be well worth your time when you become termite free.