Termite Exterminator and Termite Control in Toronto

For your own home’s sake, termite control from a termite exterminator is crucial. As a pest, termites in Toronto can be the most destructive of all the insects that can enter your home. If left unchecked, termites can literally eat the house from underneath you! Unless you carry special insurance, this can also leave you without a home! As one of Ontario’s leading termite-control companies, including Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), effective termite control experts are experienced in pest control and will take the time to unveil the extent of the infestation around your property, before using humane control products and applications techniques for termite removal.

What is a termite?

Termites are part of the same group of insects as cockroaches, and they feed on dead plant material, such as wood and soil. They are around the size of an ant although they move slower, and they are fatter and usually white in colour. As small as they are, these insects have been known to build towers, and hollow trees, move soil, and destroy houses.

Although there are many types of termites in Canada, as of 2023, the termite species that has taken to controlling Toronto and southern Ontario is the eastern subterranean termites. As their name suggests, these termites generally inhabit dark nests and tunnels. Some have wings and are a darker color, and they are the ones that leave the nests to harvest food and eventually start new colonies, while the termites that stay in the shelter are wingless and paler. The flying termites can shed their wings when they find a new nest, and the wings grow back when it is time to hunt for food once again. They feed on the cellulose that is in plant fiber. This is a rich energy source but is difficult to digest.

Termites live in colonies that can have several hundred to several million termites living in the nest. A queen can lay as many as several thousand eggs in a day. These eusocial insects use swarm intelligence to gather their food, and within the colony, there are several roles for the termites, including workers, soldiers, and breeders. The egg-laying queens are kept within the colony nest at all times. A female termite that has flown, mated, and produced eggs is termed a ‘queen’, and there can be many queens within a colony. The male termite is usually the only one in the colony and mates with all of the queens to produce offspring. The termite workers are usually blind, as their eyes are undeveloped. They are responsible for creating the nest walls using soil, wood, and saliva. The soldier termites are used when ants attack, and they have an over-developed jaw to attack; yet this makes it difficult for them to eat, so the workers feed them.

What do termites do?

Termites can cause serious structural damage to homes or buildings, crops, and plantation forests as they pick away at the wood fibers. They can go undetected for years, consuming the wood without people noticing until the structure is too severely damaged. These pests can also damage paper, cloth, and carpets.

Termites feed on materials, such as wood and cloth, yet they do not digest them. Rather they use most of their intake to build their colony nests and to protect themselves from sunlight and rain. They usually build their nests in the walls of houses, as there is a large amount of food nearby for them, and they can go undetected for years.

What can you do to prevent termites?

Ensure that all deadwood (piles of firewood, dead trees, etc.) are as far away from the home as possible. Periodic termite inspections can keep your home safe. Inspection of decks, sheds, or parts of your home that are made of wood for signs of tunneling or wood rot is a must. If you suspect signs of termite activity, it is imperative to take a proactive approach to this situation, as they will move from fences and trees into your home. If any of these situations are detected, please contact us immediately! We provide termite control services in Toronto, eliminating termites on homes or businesses.

How can PPC services help?

PPC’s professional termite control services will come in and evaluate your home and surrounding area for termite infestation. Once it has been determined that termites do exist in your home, PPC will exclude the termites from your home by inserting a chemical rod into the surrounding soil (including the basement), as well as spraying down the wooden structure of the house. If you suspect greater damage, it is possible that sections of drywall may have to be opened up to be examined, and if necessary, chemically sprayed.

If you think your house is infested by these pests, call us as soon as you can for termite extermination services and termite control in Toronto to minimize any structural damage to your home. We provide our pest control services to southern Ontario and throughout Toronto and the GTA. Besides termite treatment in Ontario, PPC is also a pest control company that deals with other pest problems in Toronto, like bed bugs and rodent control.