Got termites? If not, you probably will

Termites are tiny and blind and spend much of their lives underground, but just the mention of them can strike fear in the hearts of homeowners.

U.S. homeowners spend more than $2 billion annually for termite repairs and control, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If the wood-gnawing pests infest your home, they can cause major structural damage over time.

Paul Baker, a recently retired University of Arizona entomologist, is an expert on termites. He said homeowners shouldn’t panic if they notice signs of termite activity, but they should get the probspection under control.

“A thing to remember is termites work really slowly,” Baker said. “If they have a termite tube on the outside of their stem wall, a lot of people will panic and say, ‘I have to get somebody out here and get started tomorrow.’

“Get two or three bids and if it takes three weeks or a month, you’ll be fine. They’re not going to do that much damage in three weeks or a month. Most people don’t know that.”

If you own a home, chances are you’ll have to deal with termites at some point. Baker offers this information about termites and suggestions on how to deal with them.

“Like any organism, when it gets over 100 (degrees), they’re not real interested in doing a lot of foraging. But the issue is more of moisture. They can’t move around without moisture. That’s where the monsoon comes in. It becomes more of an active time because of the moisture. The most active time is probably mid-September through November, December, after the (monsoon) moisture has come in and the temperatures have subsided.”

How often should you inspect your home?

“The normal process is you have an inlem at least once a year. Some people will walk around the house every three months looking for mud tubes. Once they find the tubes, they call somebody and they do either a spot treatment or full treatment.”

When is the best time to treat?

“When you see the evidence, you treat.”

How do you choose a qualified exterminator?

“You’re buying the service, not just the