Tulsa Termite Control
The last thing any Tulsa homeowner or business owner wants to mess with or look up on the internet is Tulsa termite control, but here you are on this page looking into it. Which could mean you have a problem with termites or suspect you do. But don’t worry, and please don’t panic. You almost always have plenty of time, and there are always multiple options for treatments and pricing. If you have questions or need your property inspected, call us.
Should Tulsa Residents Be Concerned About Termites?
One thing we don’t have here in Tulsa is a shortage of Termites. These destructive pests cause over $5 billion in damages in the U.S. every year, and I’m sure Tulsa gets its fair share of that cost. But, here at Healthy Homes Exterminating, we know how to eliminate Termites and keep them away. We always guarantee our work and only use the best methods, baits, and chemicals for fast, effective, and affordable treatments.
Do You Have Termites In Your Tulsa Home?
Most of the time, when we get calls from Tulsa and the surrounding areas from home and business owners for Tulsa termite control, it’s because they have encountered a Termite swarm( winged Termites). These swarmers are kings and queens that fly off from their old colony to pair up and start a new colony. In Tulsa and most of Oklahoma, a Termite colony usually is two to five years old before it produces a Termite swarm.
So that usually means the Termites have been there for at least two to five years. But don’t panic because you almost always have more than enough time to have the problem looked at, get pricing, and even find financing. Only shady salesmen will tell you your house will fall in if you don’t sign now. According to OSU, Termites feed very slowly, so take your time and find the best treatment and company for you and your family.
8 Signs That Could Mean You Have Termites.
- Finding discarded wings from swarmers(winged termites)
- Finding mud tubes going in any direction on the exterior or interior of your structure. Mud tubes range from ¼ to ½ inches wide but could be much more significant.
- Finding little pinholes in your wall with a little bit of dirt or mud in or around it
- Finding what looks like fine wood shavings mixed with dirt could be termite frass. Termite frass is the droppings that they may leave behind. But sometimes, what people and some companies think are termite frass could be signs of Carpenter Ants instead.
- Paint on your walls that appear water-damaged, indented, or bubbling could indicate termite tubes behind the paint or sheetrock paper.
- If you can tap on the wood with a screwdriver that sounds hollow or stick a screwdriver or other sharp object into the wood because it’s soft, it could be a sign of termites. But it could also be just wood rot.
- Finding mud on or inside the wood in or around your home could signify termites.
- Hearing a soft clicking or similar noise inside your walls could signify termites.
When Do Termites Swarm In Tulsa?
Termites can swarm almost any month of the year in Tulsa, but that’s not very common. Usually, Tulsans will see swarmers anywhere from March to June and usually after a rainstorm. But don’t be surprised if you see them in the summer and fall months because this is Oklahoma and the Termites are just as crazy as the weather. Swarmers will usually come out from the morning to late afternoon.
What Should You Do If You Find Termite Swarmers?
If you find swarmers in or around your home or business, the best thing you can do is capture some of them in a ziplock bag, jar, or any container for identification. Half of the time, if you find swarmers, it’s Ant swarmers, not Termite swarmers. But, unfortunately, there are those pest control companies that may not tell you it’s an Ant swarm. That’s why you save them and don’t let any company or technician leave with them. If someone says you have Termite swarmers, it’s easy to google Ant vs. Termite swarmers. I have put a picture and a description of each below.
Do You Have Termite Or Ant Swarmers?
- Ants have bent antennae, and Termites have straight antennae.
- Ants and Termites have four wings, but the ant’s front wings are larger than the hind wings. The termite swarmer’s wings are of equal length.
- The easiest and best way to spot the difference is Ant swarmers have a pinched waist, and Termites do not.
What Do Termites Look Like In Tulsa?
I’m going to skip all the scientific wording and useless jargon to describe what Termites look like and use plain old cowboy English. When looking at Termites in the Tulsa area, there are only four different-looking kinds to look for in a colony. There’s the queen, soldiers, workers, and swarmers.
Most of the time, people see the swarmers(winged termites). The termite swarmer can range in color from dark brown to black. They do not have a pinched waist as an ant swarmer does. They are usually around the size of a grain of rice or smaller. Swarmers are formed when a colony grows large enough to produce kings and queens that will fly off to start a new colony.
The queen I wouldn’t worry about because I doubt you will ever see one. The workers and the soldiers look almost the same; the only visible difference is that the soldier has bigger mouthparts to protect the colony. Both are about the size of a grain of rice or a little smaller. They range in color from dark cream to white. You usually won’t see the workers or soldiers unless their mud tubes have been knocked down or disturbed. They need mud tubes to survive because their little bodies need more moisture than most other pests.
Best Way To Kill Your Tulsa Termites.
Here at Healthy Homes Exterminating, we have over 23 years of Tulsa termite control experience. We target your colony and any future colonies you may get later. Healthy Homes Exterminating offers effective and affordable options for total control and guarantees our work. We only treat termites with Trelona ATBS termite bait stations or Termidor(fipronil) liquid treatment. Both are second-to-none treatments for termites. Trelona ATBS Termite bait stations are popular because they are fast and effective, with no risk of chemicals around your property. In addition, each station is loaded with colony-killing bait: no wood or useless materials inside these stations.
I wouldn’t recommend a bait station to anyone 8 to 10 years ago because they were all junk and ineffective. But these new Trelona ATBS stations are the best at killing termite colonies and future colonies as well. After the stations have done their job each year, you can renew your guarantee and have them checked to see if they need to be refilled with poison bait or if there is any new activity.