What Are Termites? And How To Get Rid of Flying Termites?

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Termites What Is It? Its Types and How To Get Rid of Flying Termites in Detail?

What are termites?

The termites are insects, which eat wood. They are annually destroying thousands of buildings in Europe and all over the world. The majority of these insects live inside wooden beams or other wooden elements without being noticed by people living nearby. Termites are tiny pests, but they do massive damage to any construction. That is why it is necessary to get rid of them as soon as possible before they can cause even more significant problems.

Types of termites

There are three different types of termites that you may find in your home: dry wood, damp wood, and subterranean ones. Each one has specific features according to the environment where it lives and how it feeds itself. Therefore there aren’t many universal methods for killing all kinds of termites. However, if you know which type of termite you are dealing with, it is much easier to find an efficient way to get rid of them. By the way, this guide will also show you what should be done in case that you see signs of termites inside your house.

How to get rid of Flying termites?

· Protecting Your House from Termites

You can protect both new buildings and existing construction from these pests by installing chemical or physical barriers on the ground nearby the structure. These barriers are often made up of wood treated with harmful chemicals for bugs, including termites. Unfortunately, wooden elements cannot be treated whenever they are exposed to weather conditions, making their lifespan shorter. It makes sense to use chemical barriers only for new buildings or construction exposed to weather conditions quickly.

· Use Baits 

One of the methods how to get rid of termites is baits. You can buy several ready-made bait stations that usually contain boric acid as the main ingredient. They are often designed in small stakes on which you have to place a small amount of bait. Then it has to be placed near termite trails by scratching on the wooden surface so that insects can find it.

Bait stations are spread across the whole building, especially around windows, doors, and walls where termites may appear from time to time. This method is efficient against some types of subterranean termites. However, if you see that it is not compelling enough, you can use several stations simultaneously.

· Chemical Treatments 

Another method about how to get rid of termites is chemical treatments. There are many different products containing chemicals that can help you fight these insects. The drawback of this method is that treatment should cover all wooden surfaces inside the building to be efficient against them. That means that removing treated wood later will only lead to the reappearance of the pests in your home.

· Insect Growth Regulators 

One more modern way how to get rid of termites is insect growth regulators. They act as chemical castrators for bugs by interrupting their life cycle. The treatment with insect growth regulators is long-term, and it works so that termites can’t spread outside the treated zones. That’s why this method may be very effective when you use several small stations or treat some entire walls around your house.

· Use Aerosols 

Last but not least, aerosol products are efficient against termites too. It is enough to spray aerosol in their nests during the night once every 2 to 3 months, which will kill all bugs living inside wooden beams from the first time. Although these products are often advertised as quick and easy-to-use solutions, they don’t work for all types of termites: subterranean ones cannot be killed with aerosols.

· Organic Products 

Read more:What is Fleas? And Top 10 Best Natural Methods about How to Get Rid of Fleas in Bed?

In case that you want to get rid of termites without using chemicals, you should choose organic products instead. These substances will repel bugs by emitting strong smells to not come close enough to damage wooden surfaces. However, not every type of termite can be repelled by organic products.

· Use Traps 

There are also several traps that you can use to catch termites living inside the wooden surfaces of your house. You should place them in their nests; however, make sure that they won’t damage the building’s structure before you find out where these nests are located. It is also essential not to leave dead insects inside these devices because they will only attract additional pests into your home.

 For this reason, some people prefer instead of using traps to spread boric acid or other hazardous chemical agents around their homes at night so that bugs may eat them up during the daytime. However, this method also has its drawbacks: firstly, you often don’t know where their nests are located, and secondly, you risk killing many other non-target insects.

· Steam 

Steam is one of the most effective way to get rid of flying termites, which can be used both inside and outside your house. First of all, you have to find out where they live and then set steam equipment there. Then it has to emit substantial amounts of steam for 30 minutes in every single location.

This treatment will kill most subterranean termites, but it’s essential not to use high pressure when treating the walls or beams because it may break them entirely. If you can’t afford such expensive equipment, you can hire a professional exterminator who will deal with termites on your behalf.

· Borax 

Another way to get rid of flying termites is borax, a practical powder that can be used both: outside and inside the house. The drawback of this method is that some types of wood may be damaged by boric acid, and it’s not recommended to place traps for bugs in places where children or pets may find them easily.

It has been proven scientifically that such harmful chemical agents as boric acid often exceed their target and kill many other helpful insects after entering the water, soil, or air. That’s why you should use such methods only when there isn’t any other choice because they may lead to environmental pollution afterward.  

So, now you know roughly how every treatment works. It is important to remember all advantages and drawbacks because many people mistake choosing the wrong method for their house or apartment. Therefore, if you want to learn more information about treating your home against termites, read our other articles on this topic.

· Use Termidor 

Dupont engineers initially designed this product for professional use, but it was adapted for a wider public later on. That’s why nowadays it may be purchased over the counter easily in some countries.

This semi-synthetic insecticide consists of an active ingredient known as fipronil, which is effective against subterranean termites only. To prevent termites from destroying wooden surfaces in your home, you have to apply a thin layer of this product directly on the beams or walls.

· Use Borate Baits 

Borate baits are another effective remedy usually made by mixing borax with other chemicals that attract many flying insects. The main difference between them and natural boric acid is that they use sweet glutamic acid instead of creating their smell. For example, here is one recipe you can follow:

0.5 g of pure Boric Acid, 0.75 ml Glutamic Acid, 3 ml water If you want to place these traps effectively inside your house, remember that they should be placed at least 30 cm away from the ground and 30 cm away from walls to be fully effective.

What causes the termites to fly over my house?

When mature colonies generate flying male and female termites for reproduction, swarms are the result. Fertilized termites drop their wings after these mating flights and move on to start new colonies. Flying termites within a house are a sign of an established territory.