The weather outside has been in the teens and single digits many days over the last week in Northern Virginia ad across the East Coast. Many homeowners would assume that pests, especially termites, would die or go away during weather like this. That would be wrong. Termites and many other pests remain active in winter.
While termite activity is most often found during warmer months, these and other pests remain active in winter and year-round. For example, a homeowner in Leesburg, VA found live termites and damage to their family room floor a few days before Thanksgiving. My Pest Pros installed a Sentricon Above Ground Station in the area where there was visible termite damage. We also treated the walls with a liquid foam and installed Sentricon in-ground stations with Always Active Recruit HD bait matrix on the exterior of the home. The hybrid approach offered the homeowner a multi-layered protection system to eliminate the existing problem and protect against future termite issues.
Termites in Leesburg, VA
It was about 10 degrees outside on Saturday, January 6, when we performed a followup inspection of the Above Ground station and home in general.
As the photo below shows, we found live termites feasting on the Sentricon bait. At least 20 or so termites were station at the time of the inspection. These termite workers bring the bait back to the colony thinking that they are feeding the colony. In reality, Sentricon’s active ingredient, noviflumuron, prevents termites from molting. Termites will die and the entire colony will be eliminated when they can’t molt.
While no homeowner is thrilled to see live termites in their home, the process of eliminating termite colonies, whose numbers of these tiny pests number in the millions, elimination can take several months. Studied show that it can take months to fully eliminate a termite colony regardless of the product. However, a recent University of Florida study found that Sentricon is even quicker at colony elimination than previously thought. This research found that just one day of feeding on Sentricon bait is enough to kill an entire colony!
Bait vs. Liquid Termite Treatments
My Pest Pros love using Sentricon to protect homes and buildings from termites because of it’s effectiveness as well as it being one of the safest termite treatments on the market. Sentricon installation is generally easier ad less disruptive than a liquid treatment. A liquid treatment is usually more labor intensive and requires drilling through concrete and patios, and also requires trenching around the structure.
Baiting systems like Sentricon are also easier and better for pest professionals to monitor because Certified Sentricon Specialists such as My Pest Pros can inspect stations for bait consumption, live or dead termites, and refresh the bait as needed.
Proactively protecting your home with a Sentricon or other termite product is the best way to safeguard what is usually your biggest asset. While spring and summer are the most common times of year for an inspection, pests remain active in winter, too. An annual termite inspection by a pest control professional can help prevent and identify potential threats.
Call My Pest Pros today at 703-665-4455 to protect your home from termites and other pests active in winter as well as all year long.