Residential Pest Control – Termites, Wasps and Bees

If your home has a solid wood frame or construction then you’ll unfortunately be exposed to some of the most pesky critters in the world; termites, wasps and bees! These insects love nothing more than making their homes within, or attached to wood so finding a way to treat the problem can be the difference between your wood foundations crumbling and living undisturbed and safely.

Let’s discuss treating termites first. These small, hungry pests are well known for their destructive potential. If left untreated, they can destroy entire constructions that rely on wood for their stability. Although small, when allowed to run riot in their hundreds and thousands they can take a toll on even the sturdiest of buildings. So how can you treat them? Well there are many common chemical treatments, but these can be costly and have a very negative effect on the environment. If your problem is extreme, then you might find that you’ll have to take one of these routes, but what else can you do otherwise?

Well there are several home remedies that are ideal for treating and repelling termites. These remedies include the use of orange oil, by using freezing methods or by employing nematodes. If you can use orange oil, then you’ll find that applying it to problem-struck areas will kill termites immediately (it’s the high acid content) while staying completely safe for humans. Secondly, applying liquid nitrogen (not recommended for the inexperienced) to an affected area will kill them immediately.

The final treatment is to use nematodes, which are a specifically bred type of tiny insect that are very aggressive when confronting other insects. They are completely harmless to humans and will leave once their job is done, but they’ll fight and kill every termite that they come into contact with in no time at all.

That brings us onto wasps and bees. These insects aren’t just a nuisance when they decide to start building a nest or hive in a corner of your home, but they can be dangerous too. With many different breeds of wasp and bee, making sure to avoid being stung should be a priority, especially if you have allergies, small children or pets. The first thing to bear in mind is that these insects will become very defensive if their nest or hive is threatened and will sting.

Swatting them isn’t an option either; when a wasp or bee is in distress, they’ll release a pheromone which can attract the entire hive to their defence. So what can you actually do? Well if you have protective clothing, finding a way to destroy their nest is a good start. They won’t bother trying to rebuild once attacked; they’ll simply fly away after stinging your protective clothing.

You can also use a hose pipe from a distance to bathe the nest in waterwhich will cause it to crumble, but the smartest wasps and bees will be able to follow the trail back to your hand, so be careful. It’s well known that wasps and bees hate smoke, so lighting a small controlled fire under their nest will cause them to vacate. If you’d prefer to avoid fire, then any form of smoke will give the same result. If confrontation can be avoided, definitely do so. Read more on residential Pest Control – Termites, Wasps and Bees