This article is sponsored by Planet Friendly Pest Control.

There are few household pests that create more concern and worry than termites. The amount of damage to your home can be catastrophic and the amount of effort it can take to control them can be quite involved.

The only species of termite we currently have in Alexandria is the Eastern Subterranean Termite. Because these termites live underground, spotting them during the winter can be extremely difficult.

Many pests die out, or become significantly less active, during the winter months. So, with cold weather approaching, you might think you are safe from worrying about termites for a while.

But is that true? Do termites die out or go dormant during the cold months? Or are they still an active pest concern?

Termites in winter

The short answer, unfortunately, is no. Termites do not die out during the winter months. In fact, they can remain quite active during this time. The long answer is a little bit more complicated, though.

It may sound like a contradiction, but termites can be killed by cold weather. Termites are cold-blooded insects, meaning that they require warmth to survive. Termites that are exposed to the outside cold for long enough will die.

This leads to a bit of a conundrum. The warm conditions of your house during the winter makes it an ideal place for termites to hold up to survive the cold winter months.

Termites can become even more dangerous during the cold months. Not only are they attracted to the warmth of your home, but they tend to burrow deeper into the wood structure to maintain this warmth. This can make them harder to spot and it can also result in increased damage to your home.

So how do you deal with termites during the winter? You cannot just turn your heat off and freeze them out, for obvious reasons. But if the warmth of your home is good for termites, what can you do?

If you have termites, the best thing to do is to get a professional termite treatment. Subterranean termites are persistent, which can make them difficult pests to eliminate from your home. Treating them requires getting termiticide in the ground around the foundation of your home. There are several methods that include liquids, foams and solid baits. Some are better than others and it is important to take a little bit of time to research and understand the various treatment options that are available. Choosing the best treatment method for your specific situation is important.  A professional inspector is also another good resource and often it helps to get more than one professional opinion.

Professional termite treatment is the only way to guarantee that your house is cleared of termites after an infestation. Proper termite inspections and control measures will keep these homewreckers out of your house during the cold winter months.