Termites have a valuable place in nature—they help to turn fallen trees and other debris into mulch that can become nutrients for new plants and for some creatures. However, finding termites in your garden could be cause for concern.
Finding termites in a woodpile, raised bed timbers, or an old fence, doesn’t necessarily mean that your house has been affected yet. Nevertheless, you should remain alert to the presence of termites around your property.
Reduce Food Sources
If you see termites in your yard or garden, you need to make sure they remain uninterested in your home, which means you need to reduce their available food sources. First, move any firewood or wood scraps away from the outer walls of your home. Also, if you have landscaping wood chips around the house, consider removing them. The termites will be attracted to these food sources, and could migrate from there inside through the walls of your house.
Look for Signs of Infestation
Second, look around the foundation of your house for termite mud tubes; these are hollow tunnels going into your house. Mud tubes are how termites travel between their underground colony to the frame of your house. You also want to watch out for the termites themselves. They look like white ants, so keep an eye out for swarms of them close to or inside your home.
Contact a Pest Control Company
Even if it seems the termite colony is far enough away to keep your home safe, it’s still a good idea to have a professional inspection done. A pest control professional can help you identify the type of termite infesting your garden. Also, they can also inspect your home to see if the colony has migrated to your house. Unfortunately, underground termite colonies can be quite expansive, and they may be closer to your home than you think.
Get Rid of the Termites
While termites in your yard may not present a problem, you can play it safe, and get rid of the termite colony. The pest control professional can do this in a few different ways, some of which do not involve insecticides. That way, you can keep your garden safe and healthy.
For example, introducing microscopic worms, known as nematodes, can kill termites. Nematodes get into the termite’s digestive system as they eat rotting wood, killing them. Once nematodes begin to multiply in your garden, they can create a long-term solution to a termite problem.
Spraying insecticide around your yard will do nothing to kill off an underground termite colony. It may kill a few termites on the surface, but the colony will remain intact. However, a pest control technician can offer a number of solutions to safely reach down into the ground, killing the colony.
While termites are beneficial in a forest, they present a danger to your home. If in doubt, call a pest control company to evaluate your situation and offer appropriate solutions.