Protect Your Property from Termites

You can do a quick termite check yourself in a few minutes. Tap wooden beams, door frames, and baseboards — if the wood sounds hollow or feels soft, termites may be inside. Look along your foundation for mud tubes, thin tunnels of dried mud about as wide as a pencil. Check window sills for tiny discarded wings, and look for small piles that resemble sawdust or pepper near wood. In Glendora, homes near the foothills should be checked a few times a year. A self-check is a good start, but only a pro can confirm it. We offer free termite inspections across LA County.

The fastest way to kill termites depends on the type you have. For drywood termites, professional fumigation or targeted spot treatments work quickly. For subterranean termites, liquid soil barriers and bait systems stop them at the source. Store-bought sprays may kill the few termites you can see, but they rarely reach the colony — and the colony is the real problem. A licensed technician finds the nest and treats it the right way, so the termites do not return. In Glendora, our team treats both termite types every week and knows which method works fastest for your home.

A termite's biggest enemy is a trained pest control pro — but nature has a few too. Ants are a termite's top natural predator and often raid colonies for food. Tiny worms called nematodes, certain fungi, and even some birds also feed on termites. Still, these natural enemies rarely wipe out a full colony hidden inside your walls. That is why professional treatment is the most reliable way to protect your home. Our Glendora team uses proven methods that target the colony directly, not just the termites you can see.

Termites are not directly harmful to humans. They do not bite, sting, or spread disease the way some other pests do. But they can still hurt you another way — by damaging your home. Termites eat wood from the inside out, which can weaken floors, walls, and support beams over time. This damage is costly to fix and can even make a home unsafe. People with allergies or asthma may also react to termite droppings or dust. So while termites will not harm your body, they can do real harm to your house.

Several bugs get mistaken for termites — the most common is the flying ant. Both swarm at the same time of year, but you can tell them apart. Termites have straight antennae, two pairs of equal-sized wings, and a thick waist. Ants have bent antennae, uneven wings, and a pinched waist. People also confuse termite damage with damage from carpenter ants or wood-boring beetles. Telling them apart matters, because each pest needs a different treatment. If you are not sure what you are dealing with, a quick inspection clears it up fast. Our Glendora team can identify the pest and recommend the right fix.

The earliest warning signs of termites are easy to miss. Watch for mud tubes running up your foundation, and for discarded wings near windows or doors after a swarm. Wood that sounds hollow when tapped, or paint that looks bubbled or cracked, often hides damage underneath. You may also spot frass — small pellets that look like coffee grounds — beneath wooden surfaces. Doors and windows that suddenly stick can be another clue. The sooner you catch these signs, the less damage termites can do. In Glendora's mild climate, termites stay active, so early action matters.

Termites are active all year, but they swarm most in spring and early summer. Warm, humid days after rain are prime swarming time, when young termites leave the nest to start new colonies. In Southern California, subterranean termites often swarm in spring, while drywood termites swarm in late summer and fall. Because Glendora's weather stays mild, termites can stay busy almost year-round — they do not slow down in winter like they do in colder states. That is why regular inspections matter, no matter the season.