A-Tex Pest Management is completely licensed and insured to supply commercial businesses and residential homes throughout the Greater Austin, Texas area with extraordinary pest management services. Our professionals have advanced training, years of valuable experience, superb problem solving skills, and exceptional application of the trade. A-Tex Pest Management uses high-end products and equipment available only to licensed professionals to ensure our valued customers receive nothing less than premium results. Since 2002, A-Tex Pest Management has committed to separating us from our competitors by not only delivering superior execution on all services rendered, but instilling high moral standards and work ethics and applying friendly customer service consistently.
Termite Damage Needing Repairs
Termites are responsible for millions of dollars a year in structure damage to commercial and residential properties. Throughout Texas, several species can be found, including the Eastern Subterranean Termite, which is the most common and widely distributed termite in the United States. These termites rapidly consume the internal sections of timbers frequently used in the structure of buildings. Their eating habits will often leave the infested wood with a thin shell over honeycomb-like hollowed layers, packed with moist soil. Eastern Subterranean termites favor the moist and dark environments as it is essential for their survival.
Eastern Subterranean Termite Caste
Eastern Subterranean Termites, frequently found throughout Texas, have three classes in their colony, along with the Queens. From the eggs, they are hatched into soldiers, workers, or swarmers. The swarmers are the reproductive termites that will evolve wings to fly and create new colonies. once they have found their new climate, the wings will shed. Queens are the matriarch of the colony, and with the Kings produce eggs to continue the life cycle.
Termite Kings & Queens
Queens generally produce approximately 2,000 eggs a day and can live up to 25 years. The king and queen were the original alates swarmer termites that met, shed their wings and made a new home together (hopefully not in your home). The king and the queen reside in a central chamber where the workers tend to their necessities. Queens are relatively bigger compared to the other termites so that she can produce so many eggs.
Worker Termites Behaviors
Workers are the most abundant class among the Eastern Subterranean Termites, and the ones most responsible for the most damage. They are a translucent-cream color with soft bodies. Workers duties include; gather food – timber and other cellulose materials, construct tunnels and repairing any that might have been inflicted with damage, the groom each other, feed the soldiers, king, and queen, and care for the young (nymphs) until they have matured. They only grow to at about 1/8” and do not have wings like the swarmers. They are born blind and remain blind working 24 hours a day until the end of their lifespan, which is about 2 years.
Soldier Termites in Houses
Soldiers are the defenders of the colony and protect it when threats approach. Marauding ants are the sworn enemies of the termites, with the longest known feud waging for over 250 million years. Soldier termites are orange in color with rectangular armored heads and mandible pincers they use to crush the invading ants. Included in the arsenal is a frontal gland pore, located on their foreheads that secrete a sticky latex substance to ensnare their ant enemies. In the event the colonies mud tunnels are destroyed, the soldier Eastern Subterranean Termites will quickly emerge in great numbers to prepare a defense while the workers make the repairs.
Alates Swarmer Termites
Swarmers or the reproductive termites are also known as alates. They will swarm during daylight hours. They have wings, but fly awkwardly and will shed their wings when the king and queen begin their colony. They are dark brown, approximately 3/8” including their wings which will extend past their bodies.
Eastern Subterranean Termite Treatment in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park, Texas
With Eastern Subterranean Termites being so populated in Texas, it is important that at first suspicions, you contact A-Tex Pest Management as quickly as possible to begin extermination. We will perform an inspection, and if termites are confirmed to be infesting your home or business, we will begin to eradicate them. The longer you delay, the more damage that will happen, costing your thousands and possible tens of thousands of dollars. Call us today to get started!