Well, it’s that time of year again for the termites to swarm — looking for new places to set up their colonies. The problem of termites in Hawaii, unfortunately, is a problem all residents have to face. They can do damage to any wood structure, especially the destructive ground termites.
For so many years, tent fumigation was the only method of treating drywood termites, but now there is a safer, less intrusive method of treatment. The orange fruit itself is healthy to eat, but the rind can be pressed into orange oil, which becomes 95 percent pure.
Termites usually swarm around dusk and into the evening hours. Swarming termites around your home or business do not always mean that there are active termites in the structure, especially if you only see a few. If you see a great number, then they may be in the structure and an inspection is needed to determine the amount of, if any, infestation present.
Remember that drywood and ground termites both swarm, so when you see that swarm of termites, they could be either one or both. That’s usually when the phone starts ringing and customers are looking for a solution to get rid of the termites that are infesting their homes and businesses.
Oahu’s branch of Akamai Pest Solutions is managed by husband-and-wife team Tony and Ronda Galimba, who both are also inspectors for the company. Bringing decades of experience to her work, Ronda is a certified building inspector, while Tony has been a primary innovator in Hawaii’s XT2000 Orange Oil industry for 14 years.
The company has been using its XT2000 Orange Oil treatment for eight years, to get rid of drywood termites without having to go through the hassle of tent fumigation and its toxic chemicals. With Akamai’s process, there are no move outs, no bagging food, no hotel stays and eating out, no boarding pets and no roof, gutter or plant damage.
Customers can be home while the company provides treatment. The XT2000 Orange Oil, when injected into infested wood, will wick through the wood, killing the adult termites as well as the termite eggs. Fumigation does not do this. It’s a much safer method of treating drywood termites.
Akamai Pest Solutions also treats the destructive Formosan ground termite. This process is a bit different in the fact that it cannot use an organic product; the company has to use a regular, registered termiticide liquid that is injected into the ground around a structure — either by trenching or drilling, and then injecting through the cement. The idea is to place a barrier against the termite infestation.
The company recommends that if you have not treated the ground within the last five years, that you re-treat the perimeter of the structure as a preventative measure for future infestations. Oftentimes, the company gets calls from customers that already have termites, so they not only have to treat the termites, but in many cases have to pay to repair severe termite damage. Those who live in Hawaii have come to expect swarming termites every spring and summer.
Look for termite droppings, which indicate possible drywood termite infestations. Or look for mud tubes coming up the slab or post and pier from the ground, which is the ground termites’ way of entry. Ground termites need moisture, so keep the direct area around your home or business as dry as possible. Remember to keep the lights to a minimum at dusk and early evening, as termites are blind but attracted to light.
Call Akamai Pest Solutions if you suspect you have a termite problem, and the company can send one of its licensed professionals to check your home or business. The company thanks all those who have chosen the safer method of treating for drywood termites, and those who stay with the company for their ground termite treatments as well.
Akamai Pest Solutions
contact // 754-3393
web // www.akamaipestsolutions.com
Photos courtesy of Akamai Pest Solutions
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