[bushka]

Still renovating the garage and got a nice surprise the other day. Termites. I called the pest guy I use at my business and he said they were most likely subterranean termites. An online company recommended termidor foam to inject into the studs and termidor liquid for trenching outside. My bug guy didn't know that was available online to homeowners but said it is strong stuff.


I'm going to remove some sheetrock to get a better idea of what's going on, but I'm trying to understand where they all go at night and why they congregate at one particular spot on the floor. Very odd.


Here's a short video of my situation. Any comments welcome!

 

[jmon]

Agree with your bug guy. Call a pro bug guy - they have the good stuff not available to homeowners or local stores. Have to be licensed to get it.

You have an infestation no doubt. When you see those alates with the wings congregate like that on the floor they are looking for a new colony to form. The current colony has reached its max.

When they are gone, they go back to their colony as the name implies. they live in the ground soil around, under or near the house. you will never find them. But a pro bug guy will and kill the queen, king and colony. They are trained and licensed in this field.

Hope you get rid of them soon bushka.

 

[joecaption]

Not odd at all, post a picture of the outside of the garage along that wall.
Good luck on a cheap spot treatment.
I real termite treatment would involve drilling into the slab, every void in the block, trenching outside the foundation.

 

[Chris616]

It’s only at about 2:33 in your video that we get a close up that could allow an identification between termites and ants. Termites have straight antennae. The antennae of ants have a bend in them. I think that I see a bend in the antennae, but we don’t have a very good view. It would be easy for you to scoop some into a ziplock bag, push the air out to flatten it, seal it, then bring it under a good light for a better look.

We have had a similar problem at our house every September for the last six years that we’ve lived here. The outbreak lasts for a day, then disappears. In our case they’re Western Subterranean termites. Our first thought was that there is a colony in the house. After much searching and some good discussions with our local bug people we think that they’re actually landing on the roof of the house in their flight, then getting inside through the skylights. We clean up 99% of them, and the remaining ones feed the spiders or die of thirst.

I don't like the look of the holes in the wood under the door threshold in your video.

Chris

 

[Dan1973]

You can buy Termidor SC or the generic equivalent Taurus SC online at http://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com. It's pretty easy to apply the liquid yourself around the building - they have videos on the site to show how to do it.

 

[bushka]

Thanks for all the comments. I removed a 4' section of sheetrock and there was damage to the studs (but not a single termite). We had termite damage in this section of wall a good 20 years ago or more but nothing since then. I took photos of the walls before sheetrocking last year so I was able to compare them before and after. Looks like the bottom 12" or so was damaged, but mostly on the horizontal stud on the floor, like a sill plate.


Luckily my business exterminator came by yesterday to take a look. He said they could be coming in through a void in the cement under the wall, either a crack or a seam from the original pour.


He soaked the studs with Taurus (generic Termidor) trying to get it to soak under the studs and into the ground. He thought I might have caught it early enough to be good. He recommended trenching on the near side of the house as well as foam treat the rest of the sheetrocked wall as insurance. Then wait and see. The next step would be to drill the floor next to the wall and inject chemical under the house, but he recommended to give it some time and see first.