Let's Have a Chat About Termites

Brrr...It's cold out there. There won't be any termites in the atmosphere. 
Wait a minute.... Not so fast... 

Simply because it's cold doesn't mean we don't have termite issues. Termites simply burrow deeper when it's cold, but as soon as that weather boomerangs, we could potentially see more activity. 
Check out this guy we found just last week --->

What we have here is the Reticulitermes flavipes, also known as the Eastern Subterranean Termite. These pests are the most common form of termites in the United States. This particular guy or gal is what is referred to as a termite swarmer. Swarmers typically appear at the end of March or early June because of the prime termite weather conditions: warmth and rain. However, that timeline is not always the case. Here in the South Caolina lowcountry, our winters are getting warmer and warmer. We regularly have highs in the low to mid 70s. Accompany those temperatures with a little rain, and the swarmers are ready to come out and play. 

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Swarmer termites come about after the nymph stage in the termite life cycle. Essentially, nymphs become workers, solders, or reproducers. Swarmers are the reproducers. Their role in the life cycle is to come out in the open to find a mate, go back under ground, reproduce, and become the future king or queen of a new termite colony. Once these swarmers are back in the ground and reproducing, a queen can have hundreds to thousands of eggs per day!
​A large enough colony could have millions of termites working together and could potentially eat at least a pound of wood a day. That's enough termites to eat your home and your neighbor's home in no time. 
Unfortunately with termites, a lot of damage is done before we as homeowners really begin to see any signs. ​

​Bottom line is this: Termites are active year round.
​It's in the warmer months that we see them, and they are on our minds. The only reason we see them is because they are out and about trying to get some action. In the cooler months, they may be settled and getting fat for the winter. The only problem is they are getting fat off your home. 

For a free home inspection, call Champion today 
843-860-4791