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Arizona rain triggers termite surge
Rain in the desert brings out termites hiding underground in massive colonies. Learn the early warning signs to protect your house from costly structural damage. FOX 10's Brian Webb reports.
PHOENIX - More rainstorms are in the forecast over the Halloween weekend, and that's scary for several reasons, including a surge in creepy crawling insects. From ants and cockroaches to mosquitoes and termites, the incoming weather brings added pests.
A surge in pests:
Desert residents love the rain, but so do insects. Mosquitoes, ants and cockroaches are a pain, but it is termites that can do real damage.
"They’re not in that tunnel, but there could be another tunnel right next to it," termite experts noted while on the move, looking for any signs that a home is on the menu.
"Take a piece of dirt, and they go up, and then they stick that dirt to the tunnel. They take a piece of wood and go back down. That’s their process all day, all night."
Desert termites emerge after seasonal rain looking for wood to eat. State law mandates inspections when buying or selling, and catching them early saves money.
Post-rain feeding:
Live termites were found on a picture frame at a different home. Tiny but tenacious, Arizona termites hide from the heat underground in colonies that can reach 100,000 strong, but they are ready to pounce after any rain.
Hungry and looking for their favorite food, they target the wood in your house.
"Now is the time to eat. Now it’s the time to get going. We’re gonna build up our energy and in a couple of months they’re gonna start spreading their colonies. That’s when we’ll see those swarming termites throughout the Valley," said Mike Boyle, chief people officer with Burns Pest Elimination.
Spotting the signs:
The first sign of trouble is mud tubes. Termites build the pencil-thick tubes using their saliva. It keeps them moist and safe while they eat your home frame by frame.
Catching them early can save thousands of dollars, and likely save your neighbors too.
In Arizona, 25% of all homes have termites.
"If we don’t solve them here, I guarantee you one of the neighbors has the same colony because that colony could be under the road out there. It could be under this driveway. It could be under the neighbor's house," Boyle said.
Eradicating the colony:
There are things people can do if they see signs of termites: simply offer them an easier, better-tasting treat that will effectively become their last meal.
"They’re gonna spread that product to the rest of the colony and, eventually, one of them is gonna feed the queen. The queen dies, the colony is gone forever."
For anyone planning to sell or buy a house, there must be a termite inspection first. It is the law in the state of Arizona.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from an unnamed termite expert; and Mike Boyle, chief people officer with Burns Pest Elimination.