It will be that time for termites’ swarms soon in Eastern Washington.

Wenatchee and Chelan Pest Inspection Services

With the weather now warming it will not be long for those little creatures that can cause a great deal of damage if gone unchecked start to fly… the Western Subterranean Termite.

The swarmers (reproductives) called "alates" can be seen during daylight hours and are usually produced by mature colonies.

Termites are very poor fliers, they may create what is called a castle to give them some elevation and will use the wind to help sweep them along. When they land they will drop their wings and look for a mate to start a new colony. They are looking for a new suitable habitat to call home that is usually moist and has wood available.  Let s hope it is not your home.

In Eastern Washington the usual time for swarming is in the spring, though in areas such as Western Washington it maybe in the fall. So for Eastern Washington and the Wenatchee Valley this is a good time to be looking for them around your home, especially if it is an older home.  You would be surprised how often I find evidence of termites here and the surrounding counties.

Termites eat and tunnel into wooden structures and other cellulose materials. They seem to really like cardboard along with other paper materials. Termite colonies grow slowly and the damage is done slowly. Because they are hard to detect, they usually have time on their side and the damage can be extensive by the time it is discovered.

Here is a great paper from Washington State University- Termite: Biology, Prevention and Control.

Left untreated these industrious little creatures can cause significant structural damage. If you suspect you have termites do not hesitate to bring in a professional structural pest inspector or pest control operator.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…  

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