Blog
Pandemic Pest Prevention
The coronavirus pandemic has plagued many industries by causing a downturn in business. For some, the effect is the opposite. Think Plexiglas manufacturers and medical mask makers. Another industry that’s seeing an uptick (no pun intended) in business is the pest...
Termites: Builders For The Future
When it comes to building design, architects get their inspiration in lots of different ways, each with a different approach. Most of them develop a couple of successful designs and then tend to repeat them with slight changes. Some are influenced by art such as...
Termite Colonies Can Be Afflicted With “Cognitive Disorders”
Social insects include bees, ants, most wasps and termites. Sociality in insects evolved independently on two different occasions, as termites emerged long before bees, ants and wasps. Individual social insects work cooperatively in order to promote the survival and...
Termite Communication: Can You Smell Me Now?
Thousands, sometimes millions, of termites make up a colony, yet they cohesively work together and are productive. They are very social insects, but most in the caste are blind. Without visual signals, termite communication is achieved predominantly through chemical...
How You’re Unwillingly Attracting Termites
While no one wants to encourage their appearance, it’s easy to attract termites into your home unknowingly. We all fear the types of damage they can do once they get inside – nearly $5 billion each year in property damage nationwide. But what is it that attracts them...
Science And Religion Are In Agreement About The Importance Of Termites
For much of human history, people looked to religious mythology in order to find explanations for strange phenomena. Considering the vast span of human history, humans have only recently begun to look to science for explanations concerning mysterious, yet natural...
Recovering After Termite Damage
It happened. You discovered a termite infestation in your home. Sadly, it’s an inevitable reality for many homeowners, as termites are responsible for more than $5 billion in damage in the US each year, according to the National Pest Management Association – an...
Are Termites Feasting on My Firewood?
Winter and fireplaces go hand in hand. Nothing beats the coziness of a warm fire, a snuggly afghan and a cup of cocoa. And with families already nestled together indoors, this could be a common occurrence this season. But as you gather and stack your firewood to use...
How Many Homes In Residential Areas Of The Northeast Are At Risk Of Sustaining Termite Damage?
Numerous insect species in the northeast inflict damage to structural wood within homes and buildings. The most significant wood-damaging insect pests in the region include powderpost beetles, carpenter ants and termites. While the black carpenter ant species is...
Why Termiticide Barriers Account For More Than 80 Percent Of Termite Control Practices In The US
When the pest control industry was in its infancy 70 to 80 years ago, fully eradicating stubborn insect pest infestations from homes was a nearly impossible task. For example, before the advent of modern heat treatments, residents avoided bed bug bites by placing...
Termites Not Particular on Types of Houses They’ll Devour
Although the Big Bad Wolf huffed and puffed and couldn’t blow down a brick house in the nursery rhyme doesn’t mean termites can’t gobble up a perfectly good brick or other abode. Termites are known as wood-destroying insects, prone to tunneling through the support or...
Chew on This: Termite Q & A
There are two types of homes in Massachusetts: those that have termites and those that will have them. Your home is your biggest single investment, so protecting it should be a top priority. Termites cost Boston homeowners hundreds of millions of dollars each year....
SURPRISE! More Than Wood on a Termite’s Menu
Termites are known for their destructive habits when it comes to wood, causing billions of dollars in property damage for homeowners each year. But is there anything else they will eat? Or won’t? To illustrate the point, the Professional Pest Management Alliance...
On The Fly: Are They Termites or Ants?
What has four wings, antennae and can fly? If you said termites or flying ants, you’d be right. But beyond that, there are many differences between them – and as a homeowner, you should know there’s more than meets the eye. Both flying ants (also called carpenter...
How Does The Northeast Compare To The Rest Of The Country In Terms Of Termite Pest Activity And Infestation Rates?
More than a dozen termite species are economically significant structural pests in the United States where they inflict billions of dollars in damage to homes and buildings every year. Several termite species can be found in the southern half of the country,...
Examining Mud Tubes Can Reveal A Lot About Subterranean Termite Pest Activity
Like all subterranean termite species, eastern subterranean termites in the northeast live in colonies below the ground where they cannot be seen by homeowners. Subterranean termites remain invisible after workers infest above ground structural wood within homes, but...
Preventing Termites is Mulch Easier Than You Think: Landscaping Tips
When it comes to termites, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure – especially when Americans are spending more than $5 billion a year in property damage caused by these crunching critters. One place that might be overlooked, but is certainly easy, is your...
Buying or Selling a Home with Termites
You did it. You found your dream home! It’s got a great layout, great backyard and, oh yeah, it’s got termites. Deal breaker? Not necessarily. Weigh the options. One major factor that can help you determine whether to move forward with the purchase is exactly where...
The Three Types Of Reproductive Termites Found Within Subterranean Termite Colonies
The eastern subterranean termite is the most commonly managed and economically costly termite species in the United States, and these are the only termite pests found in Massachusetts where they are abundant. These termites live in underground colonies that contain...
Termite Colonies Feature A Caste of Thousands
Termites live and function in a colony filled with hundreds, thousands or even millions of its brothers and sisters. Within this large extended family are various groups with different functional roles, called a caste. It allows them to work together for the purpose...