Should Termite Treatments Continue During Winter?

The average termite infestation can be devastating for a homeowner as their most valuable possession continues to be stripped away by these pesky pests. Annually, these small insects are responsible for an estimated $5 billion in property damage that impacts more than half a million homes. Even worse, controlling large populations can be a long, tedious process without the assistance of a knowledge termite control specialist. But should termite control continue during the winter or are the treatments not actually working? 

Unlike other pests that seemingly disappear overnight as soon as cold temperatures hit, termites do not tend to rest when winter finally arrives – this is particularly true of the subterranean termites that are commonly found inside of Oklahoma homes. And, whether homeowners see them or not, termites will continue to feast on a home 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Essentially, there is no time that a structure is protected from a potential termite infestation unless they have taken the appropriate steps to control them around the property. 

Winter Is an Important Termite Control Season 

If you already have termites, it is incredibly important to seek termite control from a professional as soon as possible. Even if you do not actively have a termite infestation, winter is also a great time to start preparing for future infestations by fortifying your home and investing in bait stations that can help monitor whether termites are on the property. While the team at Emtec Pest Control believes that termite control is important every season, the winter often lulls homeowners into a false sense of security and allows termites to grow their populations uninterrupted. 

Termites are often more visible throughout the spring and summer seasons because they swarm and search for new areas to create nests. These seasons show plentiful signs of termite infestations including frass, discarded wings or mud tubes; however, during the winter, these signs will not be readily available and potentially costly damages may be the only thing that homeowners find to signify the presence of these destructive pests. Colonies of termites never slow down their behaviors due to weather changes, making winter an important termite control season – particularly when more structural damage is possible as termites continue to tunnel deeper. 

Any trees, decking or other wood sources that are within one inch of a home’s foundation could be attracting termites. Although most homeowners do not realize it, the piles of leaves and other fibrous materials that are not removed could also be drawing termites in. By combining proven termite control treatments with normal landscape maintenance, homeowners will have a solid foundation in place to ensure their home does not become the next target of a termite infestation during the winter or any other season throughout the year. 

Stop Termites Before It Is Too Late 

Your home is likely the biggest investment you have ever made and the last thing you want is for millions of small termites to cause devastating or irreparable damages. At Emtec Pest Control, we have been providing high quality termite elimination and protection for over 35 years. Our office is always staffed with knowledgeable experts ready to answer your questions and respond to your needs. 

Learn More About Termite Control 

Winter Termite Control with the Sentricon® System 

Even the smallest colonies can contain hundreds of thousands of small, sneaky termites that are constantly searching for new food sources. In most cases, the only way to effective control a termite population is to leverage their unique behaviors and exploit them with proven treatments that are designed to kill the entire colony – not just the visible termites. By effectively disrupting the way the colony operates, the queen can be killed and the rest of the colony with her. To achieve this, Emtec Pest Control always recommends the Sentricon® System.  

Worker termites often spend the entire day navigating new tunnels in search of new food sources that can be brought back to the colony. This includes a variety of wood-based, organic sources like wood piles, tree stumps, wooden fencing or home framing. Once found, the worker termite will eat the food source then return to the workers, reproductive and queen to regurgitate that food for them. One other important job that workers have is to signal any signs of danger that determine whether the colony should move their nesting location; however, with the Sentricon® System, no danger is ever detected. 

The Sentricon® System utilizes a bait that is extremely attractive to termites but does not let them know that there is any danger. Once the workers feed on the active ingredient inside of the bait, it slowly takes away their ability to eat or continue to breed. This, in turn, eliminates the entire colony, including the queen, without ever giving the termites a sense that they are in danger. Unlike liquid or foam termite treatments that may never even encounter worker termites, the Sentricon® System is guaranteed to eliminate the entire colony without causing collateral damage to landscaping. 

Once bait stations are installed, they can be filled with the effective Sentricon® Recruit® HD termite bait to provide effective termite control. Once the existing colonies have been eliminated, the bait stations can be filled with a dummy bait that helps monitor whether new colonies have arrived on the property. If new termites are detected, the bait can be returned to the Sentricon® stations where the worker termites will once again feed on the active ingredient and return it to the rest of the colony. 

When to Call a Professional 

If you are ready to get serious about termite control for your home, give your local Certified Sentricon® Specialists a call. Our experts can evaluate your home or business to recommend the best treatment option and provide a written proposal describing in detail the service that will be provided and the total cost for the service. You can schedule your FREE, no-obligation inspection today online or on the phone. 

At Emtec Pest Control, we are committed to safe and responsible pest control. We understand that your family’s safety is your number one priority, so we make it our priority, too. If you have any other questions about any of these pests or pest control for your home or business, contact your Oklahoma pest control experts at Emtec Pest Control by calling us or by filling out our online contact form. Our service areas in Northeast Oklahoma include Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Owasso, Jenks, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Skiatook, Stillwater, Tulsa and the surrounding areas. In Central Oklahoma, we service Edmond, Moore, Oklahoma City, Yukon and the surrounding areas. You can also connect with us on social media for more helpful pest control tips and information. 

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