Residents of San Luis Obispo and California’s Central Coast know that the appearance of one simple pest name is enough to strike fear in all of their home’s residents. The culprit? Termites.
But one particular breed of the pest is raising a whole new cause for alarm throughout the area served by Brezden Pest Control: the Western Subterranean Termite.
And while the experts at Brezden Pest Control will help you put a plan in action to get the unwelcome visitors out of your living quarters, it might be helpful to learn a bit about one of the most common termites to San Luis Obispo and surrounding areas—the Western Subterranean Termite.
Tiny bug, big damage
So just how quickly has the Western Subterranean Termite become an issue on the California Central Coast? The little bugger has reached “plague-like” proportions in parts of the state including; Santa Maria, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Riverside, Orange County, San Bernardino, Long Beach, Santa Ana and San Diego.
In these highly-trafficked areas, the Western Subterranean Termite is said to have invaded as many as 1 in 5 homes, causing damage in the millions of dollars in areas it infests.
And, you’ve got to hand it to these industrious little buggers; they’ve got a well-organized hierarchy, and, despite being blind, work 24 hours a day.
Here’s a breakdown of their titles and roles:
• Queen – one of the largest in the colony, her main job is to be a reproduction machine, and she can live up to 25 years and lay thousands of eggs. She lives in a chamber with the King where the duo is tended to by the workers.
• Workers– The largest part of the colony, workers, which are translucent in color, are charged with many jobs, from creating tunnels and tending to the colony nest to caring for the youngest members of the group and gathering food (i.e. timber).
• Soldiers – These members have been given a pretty self-explanatory title, and have been charged with the ongoing task of fending off enemies to the colony, mainly Marauding Ants, and defending the colony. Keep an eye out for these team members, which are bright orange in color, as they are commonly the first in the group to make a public appearance.
• Swarmers – The love doctors of the group, swarmers are about 3/8” long, with a dark brown body and light brown wings. Their task is to seek out new mates from neighboring colonies in order to branch out and begin a whole new order.
Where or where could these termites be?
The little buggers only need an opening of 1/8” to wedge their way into your home and are secretive about their entrances, often showing up through in-fill patios, fireplaces, expansion joints or cracks in on-ground or concrete flooring. These moisture lovers can also be drawn to build nests near leaking pipes, shower or bath recesses or in broken roof tiles, faulty plumbing or holes in roof tiles.
Regardless of where Western Subterranean Termites appear in your home, the experts at Brezden Pest Control will make them disappear. Banish their existence and take back your abode in no time. Call Brezden Pest Control today at 805-544-9446