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A case of termite infestation in real-life is featured as a case study in one of Singapore’s local Chinese newspaper- Lianhe Wanbao. Rentokil the experts in pest control has come in to provide advices and numerous pest facts concerning termites to caution home owners on how to look out for signs of termites and the next step of action to take in the event of a possible termite infestation.
In this case study, private property home owner Mdm Liang notices a long mud trail coming from the garden leading to the living room while cleaning up the backyard. She immediately raises an alert and Rentokil Pest Control is called in to determine the exact cause which is confirmed after a termite inspection. The termite problem is now being taken care of by Rentokil.
Home owner Mdm Liang is considered to be one of the more lucky ones with minimal damages caused by the termites as she discovers the early signs of the termite mud trails. Rentokil highlights that there can be up to as many as one million termites in a colony that can attack and feed on a food source once the food source is established. Common sources of food for termites include wooden floorings, house furniture, and wooden overhead ceilings. The worst case scenario that is seen so far is whereby the entire wooden ceiling in a house collapses from severe termite damage that went unnoticed.
Signs of termites may not be obvious to many people however the presence of mud shelter tubes which subterranean termites build out of mud, fecal matter and saliva, so that they can move above ground to search for food is one of the more obvious signs home owners can take note of. The termites’ body is vulnerable to the outdoor elements therefore termites construct mud tubes to avoid desiccation when foraging for food in open air. The subterranean termite species in this case study, build nest in the ground and are very dependent on soil moisture.
Termites can enter cracks as small as 0.4mm and are able to tear off extremely small fragments of wood using their hard, saw-toothed jaws. Termites eat non-stop for 24 hours a day and this can weaken structural strength resulting from termite damage.
The danger of subterranean termites is they rarely come to the surface to feed, which means they eat from inside out. Most of the time, people only discover the infestation when it is too late.
Identifying tell-tale signs of termites can help eliminate some potential risks and problems:
- Discarded termite wings found on window sills or floors
- Termite damage- eaten woods or wood with mud tubes
- Wooden doors or windows that are difficult to open or close as termites in wood cause the wood to become ‘bloated’
- Brown fecal pellets
The article covers that besides landed homes, offices and apartment buildings are not spared from termite infestations too.
Further recommendations and tips on how to prevent a termite infestation
- Remove damp and moisture sources as termites are attracted to moist i.e. repair leaking downpipes, taps
- Seal floor cracks
- Remove all scrap timbers and do not store any timber adjacent to the house/ building
- Remove all occurrences of tree branches touching the house/ building structure
- Engage and schedule for regular termite inspection by a professional pest control; have a termite protection plan in place to protect your home from termites today!
Drop us an online enquiry today at [email protected] for the types of termite treatment and termite protection Rentokil offers.