March Madness (Insect Style), by Mike Waldvogel

Termites. It's finally spring (at least in theory!). Rain earlier last week coupled with our warmer temperatures are a great prelude to termite swarming. Most of what people see are termite swarms outdoors which, as I have said in numerous past years, is just nature's way of reminding you that termites are all around you. It does NOT mean that you should spray your yard (which won't really help anyway); nor does it mean you need to have your house treated. HOWEVER, if you haven't had your house treated or inspected in recent years, then having it inspected might be a good idea. You can do the inspection yourself if you're confident (i.e., you're sure you know what to look for) and careful about checking the foundation (crawlspace and exterior) which may require pushing back fiberglass insulation so you can check wood framing that rests on the foundation. You should also check "critical areas" around plumbing. Calling a professional to inspect your house has its obvious advantages in that pest management professionals can probably be efficient in inspecting your home. Remember, a termite treatment isn't needed unless you find evidence of termite activity, although some people may decide to act proactively and have their house treated.

On the other hand, if termites swarm indoors, then you most likely have an infestation that should be addressed within a few weeks. Bear in mind, that even if you find swarmers, you don't need to rush on making a decision. Call a few companies, and get their assessment of any problem and an estimate of the cost to treat the house (if needed). Depending on the size and nature of your home's construction, termite treatments range from $500 to $2000 plus. Take the time to make an informed, well-founded decision about the type of treatment and warranty being offered. Damage repair warranties sound great but read the contract and understand that the warranty excludes "existing damage" which means damage that is identified as already present at the time of their initial inspection (this should be noted on the diagram they present to you with a proposal to treat the house) OR damage that wasn't visible at the time of the inspection (e.g., inside a wall) and there are no live termites present when the damage is discovered. While this may sound unfair, it's simply a matter that the company can't be accountable for damage that wasn't visible/accessible when they initiated the warranty and so there's no way to know when it occurred.

Serious termite damage takes years to occur. Many companies can take 7-14 days to get around to treating a customer's house during peak termite activity. So, if your floor was going to fall in because of termite damage, it would happen regardless of whether you have the house treated today or in 2-3 weeks. However, if there is significant structural damage due to termites, then you may want to do repairs before proceeding with any treatment in case the repairs require any soil excavation (which could also disrupt any termite treatment in the process).

We have more information about termites at: http://insects.ncsu.edu/wood.htm

Mosquitoes. You may be wondering how the cool/cold wet weather impacts pests, such as mosquitoes, and whether that means we'll have fewer mosquitoes. You will see mosquitoes out there even with some of our projected cooler temperatures, but those mosquitoes are species that overwinter as adults and respond more quickly to rises in air temperature.

In most of NC, our major problem is the Asian tiger mosquito; it spends the winter as an egg, which means it needs water (for the larvae to use as a habitat), plus temperature (water and air temperature), and an increasing day length to trigger activity. So, we still have time before we start seeing any real problems. However, this is the time of year to be thinking "habitat modification," which simply means a bunch of things you need to add to your list of spring chores:

• Get rid of (or repair) those objects that collect water. Fix tarps covering boats, cars, etc. so they don't collect water. If you're going to use rain barrels to collect and conserve water for use in your garden, make sure they have been cleaned of all leaf debris and other organic matter and that you cover them with screening to keep out debris and exclude mosquitoes.

• Clean out your gutters which trap water, along with leaves and organic debris, that attract mosquitoes (for egg-laying purposes).

• Clean out drainage ditches in front of your property. They're meant to catch and drain run-off, not become breeding pools for mosquitoes.

• And convince your neighbors to do the same because mosquito control takes a community effort. Mosquito control is a good example of the phrase "It takes a village" because everyone has to participate and it only takes one proverbial "village idiot" to make the collective effort fail.

Ticks. We're still a few months away from "tick season" but that doesn't mean some won't start wandering about looking for a meal. Mow back any taller weeds on the fringe of your yard to cut back on habitat favoring field mice and other hosts of the common ticks that we have here. When you're finished mowing/trimming back those weeds, don't forget to check yourself over for ticks. Better safe than being tick food!