Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
FindPestCompanies.com
Universal Pest & Termite is pleased to annouce we are the exclusive pest control company in the Hampton Roads area on www.FindPestCompanies.com.
http://www.findpestcompanies.com
http://www.findpestcompanies.com
Monday, October 18, 2010
Pest Control Insulation
Main Navigation
Home PageTax CreditMSDS LabelInsulation Video
502-0200
We Vacuum out contaminated insulation
Click for video
The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man
The Insulation Man services Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton,Newport News
Thermal insulation is a material having air-filled cells or voids, or heat-reflective surfaces, which retard the transfer of heat to cold.
Acoustical insulation retards the transmission of sound.
Pest control insulation, while performing the other functions of thermal and acoustical, is labeled to control listed insects. By Federal law, such insulation (and the manufacturing plant) must be registered with the US EPA, and carry an EPA-approved label. Additionally, the product must be registered with the pest control authorities in each state in which it is sold or manufactured. Because T·A·P is an EPA-labeled pesticide, in many states only a licensed PMP may sell the insulation.
Why choose The Insulation Man ?
The Insulation Man is a division of Universal Pest & Termite who has been servicing the Tidewater area for over 10 years. Universal has been recognized as one of the fastest growing service based companies in Virginia. This backing allows us to own all of our own equipment without having to rent old, out dated equipment and jeopardizing the quality of your job.
What services does The Insulation Man perform?
- We vacuum out old contaminated insulation and dispose of it in a clean manner
- We treat attic and crawl space areas with a liquid disinfectant, sanitizer, virucide
- We clean out debri from crawl space areas that hold rodents and wildlife
- We re-install T.A.P insulation in attic to the R-30 code
- We install bat insulation in the crawl space sub-floor
- We install new foundation vents to keep out unwanted rodents and wildlife
- We seal outside openings to keep out rodents and wildlife
- If needed Universal Pest & Termite can perform pest services
- Mold testing and treatments
Mold in attic Access Cover
- We install access covers. Keep the heat in and the rodents out.
Contact our office for a FREE INSULATION INSPECTION 502-0200
Why should you have you attic cleaned and disinfected?
[ rodent urine ]
T·A·P saves energy. T·A·P saves money by decreasing energy bills. It keeps homes cool in summer and warm in winter for less money: Comfortable year-round. Because T·A·P is denser than fiberglass insulation, air does not move through it well, so it resists heat transfer by convection, as well as conduction and radiation. And since there aren’t the leaks and drafts associated with ordinary insulation, mechanical systems don’t work as hard and can be down-sized, further saving money. Areas in the home maintain more uniform temperatures between floors and ceilings, upstairs and downstairs, even next to exterior walls. Comfort. Conservation.
All-Natural, Permanent, and Environmentally Friendly, too. T·A·P is Green! Well, not in color, but T·A·P is permanent, made from all-natural boric acid and recycled newsprint; thus while you’re saving energy, you’re also conserving landfill space.
Click for video
Most houses are cellulose (made from wood and forest products). T·A·P contains a fire-retardant chemical that actually makes homes safer in case of fire. Ordinary fiberglass insulation can melt, creating a chimney-like effect in a wall. T·A·P, with its fire-retardant characteristics, forms a charred surface barrier which limits the spread of fire.
Blown-in T·A·P forms a perfect fit in your wall or attic when applied, seeking nooks and crannies, filling the entire cavity. As every homebuilder knows, stud cavities are not uniform in size; thus, gaps and voids form when uniformly sized batts are used. Unlike fiberglass batts,T·A·P is never cut on the jobsite, or stuffed into the cavity to fit behind pipes and conduits, reducing the R-Value. With T·A·P, the R-Value stays in the insulation! And that means the added value
stays in the home and becomes a permanent benefit you can sell to the next owners.
Contact our office for a free insulation assessment 502-0200
The Insulation Man installs T.A.P. insulation, the leading blown insulation product with a built in pest guard product blended in. This cellulose insulation is fire resistant and fits your attic perfectly. We also vacuum old insulation out and bag it using our custom vacuum system which allows the process to be performed with little to no mess. Attic insulation, crawl space insulation,sub floor insulation basement insulation, blown in insulation, bat insulation.We install insulation in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake,Norfolk,Portsmouth,Hampton,Suffolk and Newport News.Ther are other insulation companies in the area but only one Insulation Man.
Contact Information
Please fill out and send this form to contact our office or call 502-0200
First Name:
Last Name:
Address Street 1:
Address Street 2:
City:
Zip Code: (5 digits)
State: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
Daytime Phone:
Evening Phone:
Email:
Comments: Enter comments here!
Content copyright 2009-2010. Universal. All rights reserved.
Domain Names
Home PageTax CreditMSDS LabelInsulation Video
502-0200
We Vacuum out contaminated insulation
Click for video
The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man The Insulation Man
The Insulation Man services Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton,Newport News
Thermal insulation is a material having air-filled cells or voids, or heat-reflective surfaces, which retard the transfer of heat to cold.
Acoustical insulation retards the transmission of sound.
Pest control insulation, while performing the other functions of thermal and acoustical, is labeled to control listed insects. By Federal law, such insulation (and the manufacturing plant) must be registered with the US EPA, and carry an EPA-approved label. Additionally, the product must be registered with the pest control authorities in each state in which it is sold or manufactured. Because T·A·P is an EPA-labeled pesticide, in many states only a licensed PMP may sell the insulation.
Why choose The Insulation Man ?
The Insulation Man is a division of Universal Pest & Termite who has been servicing the Tidewater area for over 10 years. Universal has been recognized as one of the fastest growing service based companies in Virginia. This backing allows us to own all of our own equipment without having to rent old, out dated equipment and jeopardizing the quality of your job.
What services does The Insulation Man perform?
- We vacuum out old contaminated insulation and dispose of it in a clean manner
- We treat attic and crawl space areas with a liquid disinfectant, sanitizer, virucide
- We clean out debri from crawl space areas that hold rodents and wildlife
- We re-install T.A.P insulation in attic to the R-30 code
- We install bat insulation in the crawl space sub-floor
- We install new foundation vents to keep out unwanted rodents and wildlife
- We seal outside openings to keep out rodents and wildlife
- If needed Universal Pest & Termite can perform pest services
- Mold testing and treatments
Mold in attic Access Cover
- We install access covers. Keep the heat in and the rodents out.
Contact our office for a FREE INSULATION INSPECTION 502-0200
Why should you have you attic cleaned and disinfected?
[ rodent urine ]
T·A·P saves energy. T·A·P saves money by decreasing energy bills. It keeps homes cool in summer and warm in winter for less money: Comfortable year-round. Because T·A·P is denser than fiberglass insulation, air does not move through it well, so it resists heat transfer by convection, as well as conduction and radiation. And since there aren’t the leaks and drafts associated with ordinary insulation, mechanical systems don’t work as hard and can be down-sized, further saving money. Areas in the home maintain more uniform temperatures between floors and ceilings, upstairs and downstairs, even next to exterior walls. Comfort. Conservation.
All-Natural, Permanent, and Environmentally Friendly, too. T·A·P is Green! Well, not in color, but T·A·P is permanent, made from all-natural boric acid and recycled newsprint; thus while you’re saving energy, you’re also conserving landfill space.
Click for video
Most houses are cellulose (made from wood and forest products). T·A·P contains a fire-retardant chemical that actually makes homes safer in case of fire. Ordinary fiberglass insulation can melt, creating a chimney-like effect in a wall. T·A·P, with its fire-retardant characteristics, forms a charred surface barrier which limits the spread of fire.
Blown-in T·A·P forms a perfect fit in your wall or attic when applied, seeking nooks and crannies, filling the entire cavity. As every homebuilder knows, stud cavities are not uniform in size; thus, gaps and voids form when uniformly sized batts are used. Unlike fiberglass batts,T·A·P is never cut on the jobsite, or stuffed into the cavity to fit behind pipes and conduits, reducing the R-Value. With T·A·P, the R-Value stays in the insulation! And that means the added value
stays in the home and becomes a permanent benefit you can sell to the next owners.
Contact our office for a free insulation assessment 502-0200
The Insulation Man installs T.A.P. insulation, the leading blown insulation product with a built in pest guard product blended in. This cellulose insulation is fire resistant and fits your attic perfectly. We also vacuum old insulation out and bag it using our custom vacuum system which allows the process to be performed with little to no mess. Attic insulation, crawl space insulation,sub floor insulation basement insulation, blown in insulation, bat insulation.We install insulation in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake,Norfolk,Portsmouth,Hampton,Suffolk and Newport News.Ther are other insulation companies in the area but only one Insulation Man.
Contact Information
Please fill out and send this form to contact our office or call 502-0200
First Name:
Last Name:
Address Street 1:
Address Street 2:
City:
Zip Code: (5 digits)
State: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
Daytime Phone:
Evening Phone:
Email:
Comments: Enter comments here!
Content copyright 2009-2010. Universal. All rights reserved.
Domain Names
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Western Branch office open
August1, 2010. Our new office in Western Branch is now open and ready to serve you in Newport News, Hampton and Suffolk. Waiting for your call. 502-0200
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Real estate agent contact information
Dwaine Wilson
Long and Foster Realtors
3575 Bridge Road, Suite 6B
Suffolk, VA 23435
(757)635-8122
dbwjdw@cox.net
Long and Foster Realtors
3575 Bridge Road, Suite 6B
Suffolk, VA 23435
(757)635-8122
dbwjdw@cox.net
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
termite information
General Ways to Kill Termites:
1) Liquid Termite Treatment - Liquid termiticides are sprayed around your house to kill or repel any termites coming into contact with them.
2) Termite Baits - The other major way to kill termites, baits are placed around your home and gradually kill off a colony by spreading small amounts of pesticides through the workers.
3) Borate Termite Treatment - Borate treatments are applied directly to wood in your house, sort of like a coat of paint. This is best done when the house is being constructed, however.
4) Fumigation - A method that only works on a specific species, the drywood termite, that is common in the Southernmost parts of the United States.
"Swarmers" or Winged Termites
The kind of termite that people see most often is a flying termite. They look a lot like ants - you see them swarming around in a big cloud, and they will crawl towards light sources, often entering your home through windows or cracks. They are not a specific species of termite - rather, they are a class in the termite caste system called swarmers or reproductives. Their presence indicates that somewhere nearby is a colony of termites. If you see them coming out of your house and flying elsewhere, that's a bad sign - that means they are probably living in your home.
Subterranean Termite
This is the most common kind of termite. They are found throughout the continental United States, so you will have to be on guard pretty much anywhere. They're also generally the kind of termite that does the most damage to a house. There are several different species, but the common thread is that they live underground, forming a colony that connects between the dirt and the wood in your house. They get food from the wood in your house, and water from the moisture in the soil. If there's no direct connection between the two, they will often build mud-based tunnels to connect them (a sure sign of an infestation).
Property Damage From Termites
How badly can termites hurt your home? Well, throughout the United States they cause billions of dollars in destruction every year. They can destroy things ranging from wood, trees on your property, books, plants, and even parts of swimming pools. Just by existing, they can prevent you from selling your home - no one is going to want to buy without getting rid of them first and assessing the extent of the damage, and many home sale contracts are conditioned on successfully passing a termite inspection.
Protecting Your Home From Termites
If you don't already have termites, then there are a lot of things you can do to prevent an infestation in the first place. For the most part, home remedies and "natural" ways of dealing with them will ONLY prevent an infestation. If you've already got a colony in or near your home, you're going to have to have an exterminator get rid of it. You can, however, cut down on chemicals and costs by some simple termite prevention techniques. They aren't foolproof, but they will reduce the chance of another infestation.
Termites can cause significant damage to buildings if they go undetected and untreated. The following termite pictures can help you identify termites so you can deal with them.
Subterranean Termites
These are subterranean termites. Due to their nature they tend to be very hard to find. They stay underground where it is moist, since heir bodies require moisture for them to survive. The termite picture on the left shows two termite workers at the top of the picture and one soldier termite at the bottom.
Sometimes they find wood under or on the ground near them. Things like wood piles or even landscaping wood are prime targets for subterranean termites. If they can't find a wood source on the ground, they will build termite tubes up to a wood source. These tubes will run up foundations or can even be straight up off the ground. These tubes keep the termites in contact with the ground and protect them from predators as they go between their colony and their food source. The presence of these tubes running up your foundation or on walls is a sure sign of subterranean termite activity.
Termite Swarmer
Click here to watch a video of termite swarmers.
Getting Professional Termite Help
It is hard to remove termites, especially if the damage is widespread. What you need to do is seek the help of experts. Please contact us to for more information.
Free Inspections
Back to Home Page
Following is a list of hot topics you should know about pests:
Termite Swarmer You Tube Video
Ant Types
Indentifying Termites
Facts about Roaches
Ants versus Termites
Termite Pictures
We support our military and offer additional discounts. See coupons and discounts.
Virginia Beach - 757.502.0200
Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk - 757.410.4214
Penninsula, Suffolk - 757.962.0340
© 2008 Universal Pest & Termite Inc
Content copyright 2010. Universal Pest & Termite. All rights reserved.
Register Domain Name
1) Liquid Termite Treatment - Liquid termiticides are sprayed around your house to kill or repel any termites coming into contact with them.
2) Termite Baits - The other major way to kill termites, baits are placed around your home and gradually kill off a colony by spreading small amounts of pesticides through the workers.
3) Borate Termite Treatment - Borate treatments are applied directly to wood in your house, sort of like a coat of paint. This is best done when the house is being constructed, however.
4) Fumigation - A method that only works on a specific species, the drywood termite, that is common in the Southernmost parts of the United States.
"Swarmers" or Winged Termites
The kind of termite that people see most often is a flying termite. They look a lot like ants - you see them swarming around in a big cloud, and they will crawl towards light sources, often entering your home through windows or cracks. They are not a specific species of termite - rather, they are a class in the termite caste system called swarmers or reproductives. Their presence indicates that somewhere nearby is a colony of termites. If you see them coming out of your house and flying elsewhere, that's a bad sign - that means they are probably living in your home.
Subterranean Termite
This is the most common kind of termite. They are found throughout the continental United States, so you will have to be on guard pretty much anywhere. They're also generally the kind of termite that does the most damage to a house. There are several different species, but the common thread is that they live underground, forming a colony that connects between the dirt and the wood in your house. They get food from the wood in your house, and water from the moisture in the soil. If there's no direct connection between the two, they will often build mud-based tunnels to connect them (a sure sign of an infestation).
Property Damage From Termites
How badly can termites hurt your home? Well, throughout the United States they cause billions of dollars in destruction every year. They can destroy things ranging from wood, trees on your property, books, plants, and even parts of swimming pools. Just by existing, they can prevent you from selling your home - no one is going to want to buy without getting rid of them first and assessing the extent of the damage, and many home sale contracts are conditioned on successfully passing a termite inspection.
Protecting Your Home From Termites
If you don't already have termites, then there are a lot of things you can do to prevent an infestation in the first place. For the most part, home remedies and "natural" ways of dealing with them will ONLY prevent an infestation. If you've already got a colony in or near your home, you're going to have to have an exterminator get rid of it. You can, however, cut down on chemicals and costs by some simple termite prevention techniques. They aren't foolproof, but they will reduce the chance of another infestation.
Termites can cause significant damage to buildings if they go undetected and untreated. The following termite pictures can help you identify termites so you can deal with them.
Subterranean Termites
These are subterranean termites. Due to their nature they tend to be very hard to find. They stay underground where it is moist, since heir bodies require moisture for them to survive. The termite picture on the left shows two termite workers at the top of the picture and one soldier termite at the bottom.
Sometimes they find wood under or on the ground near them. Things like wood piles or even landscaping wood are prime targets for subterranean termites. If they can't find a wood source on the ground, they will build termite tubes up to a wood source. These tubes will run up foundations or can even be straight up off the ground. These tubes keep the termites in contact with the ground and protect them from predators as they go between their colony and their food source. The presence of these tubes running up your foundation or on walls is a sure sign of subterranean termite activity.
Termite Swarmer
Click here to watch a video of termite swarmers.
Getting Professional Termite Help
It is hard to remove termites, especially if the damage is widespread. What you need to do is seek the help of experts. Please contact us to for more information.
Free Inspections
Back to Home Page
Following is a list of hot topics you should know about pests:
Termite Swarmer You Tube Video
Ant Types
Indentifying Termites
Facts about Roaches
Ants versus Termites
Termite Pictures
We support our military and offer additional discounts. See coupons and discounts.
Virginia Beach - 757.502.0200
Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk - 757.410.4214
Penninsula, Suffolk - 757.962.0340
© 2008 Universal Pest & Termite Inc
Content copyright 2010. Universal Pest & Termite. All rights reserved.
Register Domain Name
Ant Information
Ants
There are more than 12,000 species of ants all over the world.
An ant can lift 20 times its own body weight. If a second grader was as strong as an ant, she would be able to pick up a car!
Some queen ants can live for many years and have millions of babies!
Ants don't have ears. Ants "hear" by feeling vibrations in the ground through their feet.
When ants fight, it is usually to the death!
When foraging, ants leave a pheromone trail so that they know where they've been.
Queen ants have wings, which they shed when they start a new nest.
Ants don't have lungs. Oxygen enters through tiny holes all over the body and carbon dioxide leaves through the same holes.
When the queen of the colony dies, the colony can only survive a few months. Queens are rarely replaced and the workers are not able to reproduce.
Although ants are frustrating when they get into your home or when you're having a picnic, ants do help the environment. They are social insects, which means they live in large colonies or groups. Depending on the species, ant colonies can consist of millions of ants.
There are three kinds of ants in a colony: The queen, the female workers, and males. The queen and the males have wings, while the workers don't have wings. The queen is the only ant that can lay eggs. The male ant's job is to mate with future queen ants and they do not live very long afterwards. Once the queen grows to adulthood, she spends the rest of her life laying eggs! Depending on the species, a colony may have one queen or many queens.
Ant colonies also have soldier ants that protect the queen, defend the colony, gather or kill food, and attack enemy colonies in search for food and nesting space. If they defeat another ant colony, they take away eggs of the defeated ant colony. When the eggs hatch, the new ants become the "slave" ants for the colony. Some jobs of the colony include taking care of the eggs and babies, gathering food for the colony and building the anthills or mounds.
PREVENTION:
Eliminate standing water. Pests, such as ants, mosquitoes and termites, are attracted to moisture.
Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house. Sometimes pests use these branches to get into your home.
Make sure that there are no cracks or little openings around the bottom of your house. Sometimes pests use these to get into your home.
Make sure that firewood and building materials are not stored next to your home. Pests like to build nests in stacks of wood.
Argentine Ant
This species of ant is native to Argentina and Brazil and was probably introduced to the United States in freight ships around the 1890's. These ants can be found in southern states and in California, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon and Washington.
Size: 1/16" to 1/4" Legs: 6
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Dark Brown to black and shiny Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Argentine Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species: Linepithema humile
DIET: Argentine Ants prefer sweet substances but will eat almost anything including meats, eggs, oils and fats. Also, when foraging for food, Argentine ants leave pheromone trails everywhere they go, instead of just from nest to food source. This habit ensures they do not waste time visiting the same area twice. While in other ant species worker ants are primarily responsible for gather food, Argentine queens also assist with foraging for food.
HABITAT: Argentine ant colonies are located in wet environments near a food source. These colonies can grow to monumental size, sometimes covering entire habitats, such as an entire garden or your whole back yard.
IMPACT: Argentine ants do not pose a health threat, but they can contaminate food by leaving their bodily waste behind.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter Ants get their name because they build their nests in wood. That can cause significant damage to the wood in your house. There are nine types of carpenter ants throughout the U.S. and range in size from one-quarter inch (about the width of a pencil) for a worker carpenter ant to three-quarters of an inch (about the size of a quarter) for a queen carpenter ant.
Each colony is established by a single, fertilized queen. She starts her nest in a cavity in wood, where she raises her first brood of workers. She feeds them saliva and does not leave the nest or feed herself during this time. When they are ready, those workers then get the job of gathering food to feed the next generation. Once mature, this first generation of worker ants work to increase the food supply for the colony. The colony population grows very rapidly. A colony can eventually produce 2,000 or more workers. Size: 5/8" Legs: 6
Shape: Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Range in color from red to black Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Carpenter Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species: Camponotus
DIET: Carpenter ants do not eat the wood they remove during their nest-building activities, but deposit it outside entrances to the colony in small piles. The diet of carpenter ants includes living and dead insects, meat, fats and sugary foods of all kinds, including honeydew and nectar from plants.
HABITAT: Carpenter ants build nests anywhere they can find water and moldy or damp wood, such as tree stumps, firewood or in the plants around your house. Carpenter ants also build nests inside, usually entering buildings through wet, damaged wood, although it isn't uncommon for them to adapt to drier environments.
IMPACT: Carpenter ants don't carry disease, but when building a nest inside a home, Carpenter Ants dig smooth tunnels inside the wood. These tunnels weaken the wood and potentially damage the wood that keeps the house standing. This kind of damage can be very expensive to fix.
Odorous House Ants
This ant gets its name from the strong, rotten coconut-like smells it gives off when crushed and the fact that they commonly nest in or around houses. Native to the United States, these ants are very social, living in colonies of up to 100,000 members.
Size: 1/16"to 1/8" Legs: 8
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Brown or Black Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Odorous House Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species: Tapinoma sessile
DIET: Odorous house ants like to eat dead insects and sugary sweets, especially melon.
HABITAT: Typically living for several years, these ants commonly make their homes in exposed soil, under stones, logs, mulch, debris and other items. They will also nest in wall and floor cracks.
IMPACT: Odorous House ants do not pose a health threat, but they can contaminate food by leaving waste behind.
Pavement Ants
Although these ants can live inside, they get their name because they make their nests in or under cracks in pavement. They are typically found in the eastern half of the United States, California and Washington. Pavement ant colonies average 3,000 to 4,000 members and have several queens.
Size: 1/8" Legs: 6
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Dark Brown to Black Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Pavement Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species:Tetramorium caespitum
DIET: These ants will eat almost anything, including insects, grease, seeds, honeydew, honey, bread, meats, nuts and cheese.
HABITAT: This ant gets its name because it most commonly nests in soil next to and beneath slabs, sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Indoors, pavement ants nest under a building's foundation and within hollow foundation walls.
IMPACT: Pavement ants do not pose a health threat, but they can contaminate food by leaving waste behind.
Red Imported Fire Ants
Red Imported Fire Ants are more aggressive than other ant species and have a painful sting. These ants and their telltale mound nests should be actively avoided. Red Imported Fire Ants can adapt to many climates and conditions in and around their environment. For example, if the colony senses increased water levels in their nests, they will come together and form a huge ball or raft that is able to float on the water!
Size: 1/8" to 3/8" Legs: 6
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Dark Reddish Brown Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Red Imported Fire Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species:Solenopsis invicta
DIET: They primarily feed on vegetation.
HABITAT: Red imported fire ants will build their nests in mounds of soil outdoors, in landscape areas or near a building's foundation. They occasionally enter buildings through holes or cracks in walls and foundations.
IMPACT: The sting of a Red Imported Fire Ant is painful and often results in a raised welt that becomes a white blister. Persons allergic to insect stings will react more severely. They are frustrating, not only because of the physical pain they can inflict, but because their mound-building activity can damage plant roots and lead to loss of crops.
Free Inspections
Back to Home Page
Following is a list of hot topics you should know about pests:
Termite Swarmer You Tube Video
Ant Types
Indentifying Termites
Facts about Roaches
Ants versus Termites
Termite Pictures
We support our military and offer additional discounts. See coupons and discounts.
Virginia Beach - 757.502.0200
Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk - 757.410.4214
Penninsula, Suffolk - 757.962.0340
© 2008 Universal Pest & Termite Inc
Content copyright 2010. Universal Pest & Termite. All rights reserved.
Register Domain Name
There are more than 12,000 species of ants all over the world.
An ant can lift 20 times its own body weight. If a second grader was as strong as an ant, she would be able to pick up a car!
Some queen ants can live for many years and have millions of babies!
Ants don't have ears. Ants "hear" by feeling vibrations in the ground through their feet.
When ants fight, it is usually to the death!
When foraging, ants leave a pheromone trail so that they know where they've been.
Queen ants have wings, which they shed when they start a new nest.
Ants don't have lungs. Oxygen enters through tiny holes all over the body and carbon dioxide leaves through the same holes.
When the queen of the colony dies, the colony can only survive a few months. Queens are rarely replaced and the workers are not able to reproduce.
Although ants are frustrating when they get into your home or when you're having a picnic, ants do help the environment. They are social insects, which means they live in large colonies or groups. Depending on the species, ant colonies can consist of millions of ants.
There are three kinds of ants in a colony: The queen, the female workers, and males. The queen and the males have wings, while the workers don't have wings. The queen is the only ant that can lay eggs. The male ant's job is to mate with future queen ants and they do not live very long afterwards. Once the queen grows to adulthood, she spends the rest of her life laying eggs! Depending on the species, a colony may have one queen or many queens.
Ant colonies also have soldier ants that protect the queen, defend the colony, gather or kill food, and attack enemy colonies in search for food and nesting space. If they defeat another ant colony, they take away eggs of the defeated ant colony. When the eggs hatch, the new ants become the "slave" ants for the colony. Some jobs of the colony include taking care of the eggs and babies, gathering food for the colony and building the anthills or mounds.
PREVENTION:
Eliminate standing water. Pests, such as ants, mosquitoes and termites, are attracted to moisture.
Keep tree branches and other plants cut back from the house. Sometimes pests use these branches to get into your home.
Make sure that there are no cracks or little openings around the bottom of your house. Sometimes pests use these to get into your home.
Make sure that firewood and building materials are not stored next to your home. Pests like to build nests in stacks of wood.
Argentine Ant
This species of ant is native to Argentina and Brazil and was probably introduced to the United States in freight ships around the 1890's. These ants can be found in southern states and in California, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon and Washington.
Size: 1/16" to 1/4" Legs: 6
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Dark Brown to black and shiny Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Argentine Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species: Linepithema humile
DIET: Argentine Ants prefer sweet substances but will eat almost anything including meats, eggs, oils and fats. Also, when foraging for food, Argentine ants leave pheromone trails everywhere they go, instead of just from nest to food source. This habit ensures they do not waste time visiting the same area twice. While in other ant species worker ants are primarily responsible for gather food, Argentine queens also assist with foraging for food.
HABITAT: Argentine ant colonies are located in wet environments near a food source. These colonies can grow to monumental size, sometimes covering entire habitats, such as an entire garden or your whole back yard.
IMPACT: Argentine ants do not pose a health threat, but they can contaminate food by leaving their bodily waste behind.
Carpenter Ants
Carpenter Ants get their name because they build their nests in wood. That can cause significant damage to the wood in your house. There are nine types of carpenter ants throughout the U.S. and range in size from one-quarter inch (about the width of a pencil) for a worker carpenter ant to three-quarters of an inch (about the size of a quarter) for a queen carpenter ant.
Each colony is established by a single, fertilized queen. She starts her nest in a cavity in wood, where she raises her first brood of workers. She feeds them saliva and does not leave the nest or feed herself during this time. When they are ready, those workers then get the job of gathering food to feed the next generation. Once mature, this first generation of worker ants work to increase the food supply for the colony. The colony population grows very rapidly. A colony can eventually produce 2,000 or more workers. Size: 5/8" Legs: 6
Shape: Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Range in color from red to black Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Carpenter Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species: Camponotus
DIET: Carpenter ants do not eat the wood they remove during their nest-building activities, but deposit it outside entrances to the colony in small piles. The diet of carpenter ants includes living and dead insects, meat, fats and sugary foods of all kinds, including honeydew and nectar from plants.
HABITAT: Carpenter ants build nests anywhere they can find water and moldy or damp wood, such as tree stumps, firewood or in the plants around your house. Carpenter ants also build nests inside, usually entering buildings through wet, damaged wood, although it isn't uncommon for them to adapt to drier environments.
IMPACT: Carpenter ants don't carry disease, but when building a nest inside a home, Carpenter Ants dig smooth tunnels inside the wood. These tunnels weaken the wood and potentially damage the wood that keeps the house standing. This kind of damage can be very expensive to fix.
Odorous House Ants
This ant gets its name from the strong, rotten coconut-like smells it gives off when crushed and the fact that they commonly nest in or around houses. Native to the United States, these ants are very social, living in colonies of up to 100,000 members.
Size: 1/16"to 1/8" Legs: 8
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Brown or Black Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Odorous House Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species: Tapinoma sessile
DIET: Odorous house ants like to eat dead insects and sugary sweets, especially melon.
HABITAT: Typically living for several years, these ants commonly make their homes in exposed soil, under stones, logs, mulch, debris and other items. They will also nest in wall and floor cracks.
IMPACT: Odorous House ants do not pose a health threat, but they can contaminate food by leaving waste behind.
Pavement Ants
Although these ants can live inside, they get their name because they make their nests in or under cracks in pavement. They are typically found in the eastern half of the United States, California and Washington. Pavement ant colonies average 3,000 to 4,000 members and have several queens.
Size: 1/8" Legs: 6
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Dark Brown to Black Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Pavement Ant Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species:Tetramorium caespitum
DIET: These ants will eat almost anything, including insects, grease, seeds, honeydew, honey, bread, meats, nuts and cheese.
HABITAT: This ant gets its name because it most commonly nests in soil next to and beneath slabs, sidewalks, patios, and driveways. Indoors, pavement ants nest under a building's foundation and within hollow foundation walls.
IMPACT: Pavement ants do not pose a health threat, but they can contaminate food by leaving waste behind.
Red Imported Fire Ants
Red Imported Fire Ants are more aggressive than other ant species and have a painful sting. These ants and their telltale mound nests should be actively avoided. Red Imported Fire Ants can adapt to many climates and conditions in and around their environment. For example, if the colony senses increased water levels in their nests, they will come together and form a huge ball or raft that is able to float on the water!
Size: 1/8" to 3/8" Legs: 6
Shape: Segmented, Oval Wings: Varies
Color: Dark Reddish Brown Antenna: Yes
Common Name: Red Imported Fire Class: Insecta
Kingdom: Animalia Order: Hymenoptera
Plylum: Arthropoda Family: Formicidae
Species:Solenopsis invicta
DIET: They primarily feed on vegetation.
HABITAT: Red imported fire ants will build their nests in mounds of soil outdoors, in landscape areas or near a building's foundation. They occasionally enter buildings through holes or cracks in walls and foundations.
IMPACT: The sting of a Red Imported Fire Ant is painful and often results in a raised welt that becomes a white blister. Persons allergic to insect stings will react more severely. They are frustrating, not only because of the physical pain they can inflict, but because their mound-building activity can damage plant roots and lead to loss of crops.
Free Inspections
Back to Home Page
Following is a list of hot topics you should know about pests:
Termite Swarmer You Tube Video
Ant Types
Indentifying Termites
Facts about Roaches
Ants versus Termites
Termite Pictures
We support our military and offer additional discounts. See coupons and discounts.
Virginia Beach - 757.502.0200
Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk - 757.410.4214
Penninsula, Suffolk - 757.962.0340
© 2008 Universal Pest & Termite Inc
Content copyright 2010. Universal Pest & Termite. All rights reserved.
Register Domain Name
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
