But Seriously, Does Freezing Work?

Yes, freezing termites does work. These pests have a very low tolerance for temperature extremes, and like all of us in Southern California, termites thrive between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. But if you’ve ever taken a San Diegan to the snow, they’re likely to get uncomfortable. It’s the same for termites: They can’t tolerate cold temperatures.

The freezing method involves administering liquid nitrogen to targeted colonies inside your walls. The nitrogen freezes when it turns into gas, and termites can’t survive the resulting chill.

The Downside to Freezing Treatments

Unfortunately, freezing isn’t all cool. Although it’s proven effective, at Lloyd Pest Control, we don’t offer it as a termite treatment – and for one big reason: When it comes down to it, freezing methods aren’t safe. Using liquid nitrogen may seem like an effective solution on paper, but freezing treatments put your water pipes at risk.

Heat Treatments from Lloyd Pest Control

Although freezing isn’t a proper termite control solution, the opposite, heat treatment, is. Our Thermal Pest Eradication is patented technology for eliminating termites and other pests from your structure. We use specialized heat fans to increase the ambient temperature in your home or business to 140-160 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature is maintained until the wood interior has sustained at least 130 degrees for one hour – a process that that no termite or larvae can survive. We can also apply localized heat treatments to smaller areas.

Heat treatments are also covered by our Termite Protection Plan guarantee –this ensures continued protection even after we leave. The next time termites cause a ruckus in your home or business in Southern California, let the experts at Lloyd Pest Control get the job done right.

The post Does Freezing Work Against Termites? first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

However, we understand the desire for environmentally friendly options. That’s why, in already-warm Southern California, we offer chemical-free termite control that turns the temperature up – to the point that they can’t survive.

Thermal Heat as an Effective Alternative

Lloyd Pest Control’s Thermal Pest Eradication is patented technology for eliminating termites and other pests from the core of structures. We use specialized heat fans until the ambient temperature in your house is 140-160 F. This temperature is maintained until the core of the wood has sustained 130 F for one hour – a process that that no termite or egg can survive.

For single-family houses with isolated colonies, heat treatments can be just as effective as fumigation. You and your pets can also stay in your home while we apply this treatment; plus, you don’t have to bag up any perishable foods. Just think about it: You could be buttering your toast while, in the very next room, we’re toasting your termites! Well, maybe don’t think about that (sorry if we ruined your appetite).

Other Alternatives: Do They Work?

Some pest control companies offer freezing, zapping, or orange oil alternatives to chemical pesticides, all of which work with varying degrees of success. We have found that orange oil – attractive because of its use of natural ingredients – has the most limitations as a spot treatment. Freezing and Electro-Gun treatments have very limited success rates comparable to heat treatments. They are also more invasive and, in the case of freezing, damaging to water pipes.

Take on Termites with Our Heat Treatment

While fumigation is always dependable, we understand you might want a more eco-friendly solution to get rid of termites. That’s why, for termite control throughout Southern California, we offer an effective alternative. With heat, termites have met their match. Our heat treatments are non-invasive and carry our Termite Protection Plan guarantee. Contact us today to get a free quote.

The post What Are Chemical Free Alternatives to Getting Rid of Termites? first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

Even though the science and tactics have changed over the years, the goal has remained the same: to get rid of termites and document our work through proper reporting. That’s where termite reports come in.

What Are Termite Reports?

Termite reports provide important information for homeowners, sellers, and the state of California. The report will indicate if a structure has termites and other wood destroying organisms, including certain species of ants and fungi. Your property depends on it, too. When pests munch on your wood, your home becomes weaker, less valuable, and potentially dangerous to inhabit.

Why You Need a Termite Report

While it is not against the law to sell a home with termites, money lenders often require certification that a home is “free of infestation or infection” from a pest control company before putting up funds. This is not stinginess; they just want to protect their investment. Technicians from Lloyd Pest Control are certified by the California Structural Pest Control Board to conduct thorough termite inspections, and we’ll provide the proper paperwork to satisfy all lenders.

Sending (and Getting) a Termite Report

The termite report and the completion notice will be delivered within 10 working days to the person who ordered the report, as well as the property owner or the agent. Some lenders will even withhold funds until steps to prevent further infestation (noted on our termite reports) have been corrected. If you have suspicions about past termite activity, you can also request these reports from the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Termite and Termite Report Solutions

When you’re looking to sell your Southern California home, you don’t want termites holding you back. A termite report keeps you up-to-date on their presence – that’s where the phrase “free of infestation or infection” comes from. Without it, you may not even be able to sell (lenders aren’t taking any chances). Contact Lloyd Pest Control for an inspection and a report; we’ll provide free quote for termite eradication if it turns out you need it.

The post What Does Free of Infestation or Infection Mean? first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

At Lloyd Pest Control, we know this wood-loving pest inside and out, and want to protect you from the structural damage it can cause.

California’s Troublesome Termites

Termites are called “silent destroyers” for good reason. Their tendency to sneak onto your property undetected makes them difficult to eradicate. They feed on cellulose-based plant material – one of the most abundant substances in the world, commonly found in our homes and businesses. Cellulose is found in wood, carpet, insulation, and a myriad of other building and decorating materials. It’s hard to imagine an insect eating wood, but termites use a special bacteria to turn cellulose into digestible sugars.

While we often demonize termites, they aren’t always bad. In California, termites thrive in the wild, benefitting the ecosystem by eating decayed wood and providing nutrients to the soil. Because they don’t have eyes, they typically seek out food sources by crawling around until they strike gold, or rather, wood. Luckily for them, cellulose is widespread enough that they don’t usually have to wander for long.

When they find their cellulose-gold on our properties, that’s when they become a problem. California is one of the most common places for termite infestations in the United States. After all, we have both a large land mass and large population, which means we’re basically a goldmine for hungry termites. In fact, at one point, it was estimated that between 60 and 80 percent of homes in the state had termites. In the southern part of the state specifically, they enjoy our ideal climate as much as we do.

Drywood Termites vs. Other Termite Species

To understand what drywood termites are all about, it’s important to know how they differ from other Southern California termite species. The three prevalent types in the region are subterranean, dampwood, and drywood termites – and their names are quite fitting. Here’s a short description of each:

• Subterranean termites: Build tunnels underground and seek out glucose on the surface.
• Dampwood termites: Nest above ground and prefer rotted or moist wood.
• Drywood termites: Nest above ground and prefer, well, dry wood, of course.

Unlike the other two species, drywood termites don’t need moist soil or wood. That’s because they have lower requirements for water and mainly get it from humid California air. They’ll seek out any place that’s wooden or cellulose-based to colonize. Drywood colonies typically number around 1,000, whereas subterranean colonies may reach six digits. But their smaller colonies make them more mobile and harder to detect.

The Most Destructive of the Silent Destroyers

As the fall approaches, most pest activity dies down. But drywood termites become a bigger problem during this season, as they swarm from September to October in California. Swarming occurs when a colony is mature, and reproductive termites leave to mate and create new colonies. Drywood termite infestations then pop up – and with costly consequences.

Drywood termites have high potential for destruction, as they’re in danger of settling anywhere cellulose is present. They typically gather in walls or furniture and may be scattered across multiple floors. Because of their silent efforts, months or even years may go by before you notice signs of their presence. By then, the damage will have been done.

Finding Them in the Woodwork

You can’t really take any preventative measures to keep drywood termites away. After all, they’re after what your property is made out of. But there are steps you can take to identify infestations and get the help needed to eliminate them. The following are the two main warning signs that they’re around:

• Wings: After swarming, flying termites discard their wings. You might find wings around the location of an infestation, specifically at a nearby window sill or light source.
• Droppings: Drywood termites excrete small, dry droppings that are the same color as the wood they’re eating. You might spot their excrement, called “frass,” beneath infested wood. It can look like sawdust or pepper.

Apart from the two main signs, you should also look out for actual evidence of their damage. This includes damaged wood, and holes that show proof of drywood termites. Also, check for hollow walls, as well as doors and windows that are hard to open or close (burrowing by termites tends to warp wood).

Stopping Them Before It’s Too Late

You probably don’t expect to have termites on your property. But it’s a reality that happens often, and if it happens to you, your best bet is getting expert help before too much damage is done. Considering how late they are usually detected, extensive professional treatment is usually necessary to stop drywood termites.

The following are the two most effective services:

• Fumigation: Your building is covered and gas is released to kill the termites.
• Heat: Your building is heated to a temperature that’s hot enough to kill the termites.

Fumigation and heat are the only methods that guarantee complete elimination of an established colony from an entire structure. While alternative treatments do exist, they’re only for local or spot control, which may not be enough to eliminate extensive drywood termite infestations.

Lloyd Pest Control Takes on All Kinds of Termites

While drywood termites are sneaky and destructive, you can limit the damage by identifying an infestation early and calling on the right exterminators to stop them. We treat drywood termites and other prevalent termites at Lloyd Pest Control. We can perform either fumigation or our patented heat treatment to combat this wood-munching pest. Additionally, we now offer Targeted Termite Treatments (T3), which afford homeowners greater convenience and the same great guarantees.

For help getting rid of problematic termites on your property, or for more information, contact Lloyd Pest Control today.

The post Drywood Termites: Lurking in the Lumber first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

Drywood Termites’ Colonies

This type of termite is different from those that build their colonies underground. Subterranean termites rely on contact with soil to live, but their drywood counterparts require little moisture. They can survive in attics and other wood structures without access to soil. Drywood termites eat wood and cellulose, leading them to dine on delicacies like books, carpet, and wooden structures in your home.

Life Cycle of the Drywood Termite

Nymphs, or young termites, go through four to seven phases, known as instars, as they develop. Instars occur between two molting periods. As adults, they join swarms to create new colonies. Nymphs are responsible for food-gathering while the kings and queens reproduce.

Drywood Termite Dangers

The drywood termite can wreak havoc on a home once it enters through an eave, windowsill, vent, or other opening. One reason a swarm can cause so much damage is its tendency to spread out into multiple rooms. Multiple colonies can exist in a single structure. And without the need for soil, once inside, they really don’t have to leave your home.

Preventing an Infestation

While the subterranean termite can cause expensive structural damage in just six months, the drywood termite takes up to five years to inflict the same amount of harm. Termite damage is usually not covered by home insurance policies. However, you can rely on your local pest-prevention experts to provide thorough termite inspections to help you prevent infestations and avoid out-of-pocket repair expenses. Because drywood termites are slower to damage your home or building, it’s easier to catch an infestation before it’s too late.

Drywood Termite Extermination

Often, the drywood termite goes undetected due to its nocturnal habits. However, if you do see one or more of the following, chances are good that your home is infested.

• Swarmers flying in autumn
• Broken off wings, specifically near the window
• Pellets that look like coarse sawdust
• Blistering of paint
• Wood damage

Whether you want to avoid future infestations, need treatment for an existing infestation, or just want an inspection to stay on the safe side, Lloyd Pest Control can help. Call us today for a drywood termite inspection or service in your Southern California home or business.

The post The Termites That Live Without Soil first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

Some ants protect their nests with their heads

Aside from being able to carry objects 50 times their own body weight, ants display another behavior that is quite spectacular. head to protect its colony from unwanted guests.

Ants use to live alongside the dinosaurs over 130 million years ago. Fossilized evidence of ants and other insects have been found in lumps of amber, or plant resin.

Termites are less dirty than you might think

Termites, though they can be disastrous to your home, are actually a benefit to the environment. Termites are vital to earth’s decomposition of tough plant fibers. But that’s not what’s so cool about these pests.

Much of a termite’s life is spent cleaning other termites in the colony!

Bacteria and fungal infections can make quick work of termite colonies, which is why they spend such a great deal of time grooming each other to keep the colony clean. A termite’s antennae enable the termite to detect infections while they clean.

Bed bugs hide before you know they’ve bitten you

Over the past few years bed bugs have grown as a menace throughout Southern California and the entire country.

Bed bugs inject anti-coagulants and anesthetics into your skin so they can feed and hide before you even know they are around. The bed bug’s saliva acts as an anesthetic thus masking the bite and increasing the speed of the feeding process.

Spiders limbs work like that of a machine

While it’s true that almost every spider in the world is venomous, most spiders teeth are either too small or lack the potency of venom to harm people. But it’s not just the fangs and the venom that scare people. Spiders have a strange way of moving, which, as it turns out isn’t that different, mechanically speaking, than the more familiar movement of a common construction site excavator.

Spiders can control blood pressure in their limbs using a combination of hemolymph (arthropod blood) and extensor muscles located in the three hip joints, which allows them to move, and even jump in the case of jumping spiders.

Bees will create a new queen from existing larvae

Often, the only silver lining to a bee sting is the assumed knowledge that after a single sting, the bee dies.  The truth, however, is that honeybees don’t always die after stinging something. A bee stinger may become caught in a human’s skin but many other surfaces anima skins are more forgiving and will endure multiple stings without harm to the bee itself.

But despite all this seemingly violent behavior, bees are extraordinarily community driven. As a queen bee dies, she emits a pheromone that will cause worker bees to immediately create a new queen from existing larvae.

Fleas and brushes have something in common

Your dog or cat may disagree, but the flea is quite a magnificent creature. Not only can a flea jump 8-10 inches vertically (making it one of the best jumpers of any animal, relative to body size), and not only can the flea’s hard body withstand incredible pressure, but the common flea is in some ways similar to the common hair.

 The flea’s body is covered with hard plates called Sclerites. In the same why that a hair brush is designed to easily part the hair on your head, the flea’s hard body plates (called Sclerites) have hairs that point away from its head allowing it to easily crawl through your dog or cat’s fur.

Cockroaches just want to be loved…sort of

You may know that cockroaches can live for weeks without their heads, but did you know that they like to be touched? Cockroaches are thigmotropic, which means they like solid objects coming in contact with their bodies.

Despite how interesting these pests may be, they can be damaging to our home and health. That’s where Lloyd Pest Control comes in. Our elimination service covers Southern California with more than 200 radio-dispatched trucks, 200 licensed technicians, supervisors, a Quality Control staff, an entomologist, and a biologist. For more information about each of these pests and their eradication, contact Lloyd Pest Control today at 1.800.223.2847.

The post 7 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Pests first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

Lloyd Pest Control has proudly supported the arts for numerous years. Whether it is music, painting, or film, we see beauty in all creativity. Recently we have had the great opportunity to preserve a tangible piece of art history. Unfortunately the Aztec Brewery in Barrio Logan fell victim to one of the most notorious fall pest infiltrations. As you may have read in our previous blog post, the fall season undoubtedly brings swarms of termites.

In the 1930’s the Aztec Brewing Co. was a popular spot for tasting. The extravagant decor filled the room, creating a sublime atmosphere. The physical bar at the Aztec Brewing Co. “is the centerpiece of a collection of furniture, murals and roof beams that the city has been storing for more than 20 years.” When one of the art handlers “pulled the wooden bar out of storage they found bore holes, remnants of mud, and weakened wood.” This posed a large problem considering the bar was to be moved to a conservation studio in L.A.. Because it was infested, we were asked this past weekend to fumigate the bar. The project was a success and we were able to save a piece of history before the termites were able to inflict more harm.

Here at Lloyd Pest Control, we are the only ones in San Diego County to have a special fumigation chamber that is used for certain items such as valuables, antiques, or even vintage bars like that of the Aztec Brewery. It is unique because the customer can bring anything from as small as a stamp collection to as large as a couch or armoire and have it treated professionally. It is a safe way to fumigate single or multiple items without tenting your entire home. We also provide this service in the Anaheim area as well.

The post Fumigation Preserves Historical Bar first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.

The end of summer brings with it melancholy.  But here in Southern California, it also brings Santa Ana winds.  And wildfires.  And a much less publicized disaster waiting to happen:  termites.  Each September and October, millions of mating termites swarm through our skies in search of new homes to colonize.  The annual cost of termite damage in the U.S.?  Five billion dollars.

Wood is critical to the survival of termites, which is why swarms will fly around in the hope of landing on a wood-framed home, garage, fence or gazebo.  Poor eyesight leaves the fate of the termites up to the winds.  For this reason, 99 percent of the termites in a mating swarm will die trying.  Only one percent will successfully find a wooden structure to call home. The lucky male termites that do happen to latch onto a chunk of raw or exposed wood will look for a female partner.  Water-damaged eaves, paint-chipped fascia boards, – these are the ideal conditions for termite romance.   To termites, the exposed two-by-fours of a garage are like merlot and a Barry White album.  Termite babies are born.  The new family feeds itself on the structure.  In time, the family becomes a colony, eating tunnels through the wood frame of the entire structure, often hollowing out beams and studs until they crumble.

San Diego, Riverside, and Orange County are ideal termite breeding grounds because of the combination of heat and humidity that pervades the region during the months of August, September, and October.   Swarming typically takes place on sunny afternoons, when temperatures are between 80 and 90 degrees F.

While termites are somewhat unpredictable and can infest any type of property, there are some measures that you can take to protect your home and prevent termite infestation.

1. Stay up to date on house repairs: Termites will try to find unpainted  crevices or exposed raw wood fissures to bury themselves. Make sure that all wooden surfaces are sealed or painted.  Don’t ignore exposed surfaces in the attic or garage.
2. Use fine mesh screens over vent openings:  Attic and crawl space vents are a very common point of entry for termites. Installing a fine mesh screen on your vents is easy and inexpensive.
3. Get regular termite inspections: Most companies, such as Lloyd Pest Control, provide a free termite inspection.  A healthy interval between termite inspections is two years.  Eradicating termites before too much damage is done can mean the difference between spending a couple of hundred dollars versus thousands of dollars in termite treatment. Termite damage occurs slowly over time, so catching an infestation early is critical.

Termite damage is commonly identified in door frames, garages, and attics.  Just about any wooden expanse, big or small, can be susceptible – even furniture and items of decor. Because termites work beneath the surface, it can take up to five-to-seven years before a termite colony produces any real detectable damage. Don’t panic if you see a couple of termites here or there; this is natural and should not be cause for alarm.

Warning signs that you may have a mature termite colony and infestation include:

1. A swarm of termites emanating from your house, or termites flying around inside
2. Piles of sawdust-like pellets or translucent wings abandoned near window sills and sliding glass doors.
3. Surface blisters on wood.  Often these blisters are caused by tunnels, or “˜galleys,’ dug by termites.

Following these simple termite preventative measures – and being able to identify termite warning signs – can help you avoid the costs and headaches caused by drywood termite swarms.

Dr. Eric Paysen is the lead Entomologist and Technical Director at Lloyd Pest Control, a Southern California-based company that specializes in ant and termite solutions. Dr. Paysen holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from Clemson University. See more from Dr. Paysen here.

The post Termite Season: Termite Warning Signs and Termite Prevention. first appeared on Lloyd Pest Control.