Termite Extermination in Modesto Ca

Western subterranean termites

These termites live a few inches underground and they may have an orange colored head with large mandibles. They are a swarming termite which means you may find them flying around your home or property, usually in the spring following rain. They can resemble flying ants so you have to look closely to determine that it’s a termite.

This variety of termite are extremely destructive to homes, buildings, and nearby trees including douglas fir. They often eat the soft wood from the interior and leave the harder exterior shell which is one of the reasons you may not realize they’re there. They often leave a “honeycomb” pattern within the wood which severely weakens the structure.

The highest risk areas for this breed are central and southern California, especially older areas like Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These areas often have older homes which are vulnerable to these pests.

Note: Standard home insurance doesn’t cover termite damage to structure and timber. Repairing the damage from termites can be extremely expensive and require serious construction so we advise you get an inspection right away.

Western drywood termites

The western drywood is the most common termite found in structures throughout the southwest region of the United States. While in California they’re mostly found in the southern region, they are still sometimes found in Modesto and the central valley.

There are several stages of the western drywood which include swarming, soldiers, and workers.

Swarming: The swarming stage is where the drywood termites flies around searching for new places to invade. They often resemble flying ants so it’s a good idea to capture one and show it to your pest control specialist if possible. They have an orange-brown head color, dark brown abdominal portion, and dark wings.

Soldier: The soldiers have larger heads that are reddish-brown with chomping mandibles. These hardened heads are almost like helmets that allow them to easily burrow through wood.

Workers: Worker drywood termites are also known as “false workers”. They’re actually nymphs which perform the role of the typical worker termite found in other species.

In California, these termites are common in oak trees, around river washes, canyons, cottonwood, sycamore, and downed trees. In urban areas, they’re commonly found in bushes including oleander, almond, apricot, avocado, and walnut among others.

Pacific dampwood termites

The pacific dampwood termite also contains three casts or stages including soldiers, nymphs, and reproductives. The winged reproductive termites can grow to an inch in length and rang from yellow-brown to a more cinnamon color. Soldiers can be recognized by their large chomping mandibles and nymphs are an off-white color.

You’ll typically find them anywhere there’s wood with lots of moisture. This includes downed trees, wood that’s in contact with soil, and under loose bark. They typically swarm when the weather is warmer and colonize quickly.

If you think you have termites of any kind, or you’re unsure, give us a call for an inspection.

More Modesto pests:

• Spiders
• Mosquitoes
• Ticks
• Snails & slugs
• Silverfish
• Earwigs
• Beetles