Are You Ready For Swarming Season? (NAPSA)—When homeowners refer to an “inside job,” they are not always referring to bank robbers. They are often referring to termites, who eat away from the inside of a home and may remain undiscovered for years. Every year, termites damage millions of homes and other structures in the United States and cause more than $2billion in treatment and repair costs annually. One particularly destructive termite is the drywood termite which thrives in Southern coastal regions. Drywood termites are just what their name implies—theylike dry wood, live within the wood and do not require contact with thesoil. Drywood termites spread when the insects leave established colonies in the way of a swarm, to look for a new home—usually a crack, hole or other surface defect in the structure. They enter the wood and begin feeding. Most drywood termite infestations occur in the warmerregions of the U.S., including California, Florida and Hawaii. Swarming Dates To Remember In northern California, ter- mites typically swarm in June and July, whereas in the southern part of the state, swarmers may take flight in September through November. In Florida, termite swarmers can be seen in spring, summer and fall, from February through November. Signs Of Infestation In addition to swarmers, other commonindications for a drywood termite infestation include: Piles of six-sided pellets, typ*Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC Vikaneis a federally Restricted Use Pesticide. - ) \ | Nf yh ow THE ENEMY WITHIN—Drywood termites thrive in Southern coastal regions. ically found on windowsills and floors, and in attic spaces; Discarded wings and dead termites near light sources; Severely blistered wood with pinhead-sized kickout holes; and * Hollow sounding wood. The treatment most recom- mended when drywood termites are discovered is a whole-structure fumigation with Vikane* gas fumigant. This is the only way to ensure 100 percent control of drywood termite infestations throughout the structure, including those hidden in inaccessible wood. More than one million struc- tures have been fumigated with Vikane over the years, including homes, museums, food-handling facilities, rare book libraries, university facilities, medical research libraries and historical landmarks. For more information abut dry- wood treatment options, visit Uni- versity of Florida’s Web site www.ftld.ufl.edu/drywood.htm or visit www.dowagro.com.
