As we prepare for spring, weekly training sessions are in full force for both for our technicians & managers as well as our office staff. Current emphasis in these sessions has been placed on the latest in pest control techniques & trends, current issues our area is facing & how to tackle them, more intensive training on materials & chemicals our technicians use as well deep dives into the characteristics and habits of pests.

But it’s not all work and no play in our training sessions — these training sessions now come with their own twists, challenges and adventures in FUN! While we place a strong emphasis on the training part, we place an equally strong emphasis on having fun while learning and team-building strategies. Check out some of the things we’ve recently done in our training fun sessions:

Scavenger hunts? Check.

Jeopardy? Done and done!

Walk the Plank? You got it!

Wheel of Fortune Pest? Absolutely!

It’s St. Patrick’s Day but we’ve got more that just the luck o’ the Irish on our side today…we’ve got it ALL. MONTH. LONG! We’re so incredibly lucky that our March hires are celebrating a combined 100 years on Team Blue Chip this month. Maybe you’ll be lucky as well and get see one of them at your home or business this month. Fingers crossed!

Termites can look very similar to flying ants. Here are some easy ways to tell the difference.

This is a termite:

In this picture of a termite (above), it’s easy to see one of the distinct characteristics that make up a termite’s body structure: equal length wings. Somewhat hidden is the termite’s straight abdomen as well as their straight antenna.

Now let’s look below to see a flying ant:

In this particular picture of a flying ant (above), it’s very easy to see how the abdomen differs from that of a termite. The flying ant is much thinner and segmented. You can also see very clearly how the flying ant’s antennae are bent, as opposed to the termite’s straight antennae. A little more difficult to establish from this picture is the fact that the flying ant’s 2 pairs of wings are of unequal length with one of the pairs being considerably longer than the other pair.

Not all termites live underground like the ones we commonly see in the St. Louis area. Some termites, like the conehead termites commonly found in Florida, move around the ground just like ants.

No matter what kind of diet plan you follow — low fat, Keto, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc. — it’s a good idea to avoid the diet of a termite. They eat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. So, quite literally, they spend their entire life doing little more than eating. And while you might crave a pizza or some chocolate cake from time to time, chances are slim to none that you’re craving the main food source of termites — wood, flooring and wallpaper.

Remember when flash mobs were all the rage? Termites might not dance with synchronized moves; however, they do have a mob mentality. They are very social and the activity in their colonies is dictated by swarm intelligence. So, even though a colony made be made up of more than 2 million termites, they all work as a single unit. The needs of the group take precedence over all individual needs.

Termites can be found in over 70 countries around the world. And they are showing up in MASSIVE numbers. As a matter of fact, they outnumber humans 10 to 1! There are few different types of termites; however, the termites we encounter most often in the St. Louis area are subterranean termites. As a prefix, “sub” is used to describe something underneath or below. And that’s exactly where these termites live — underground in massive colonies that can contain upwards of 2 million members in one single colony! They build mud tubes or tunnels to gain access to their food sources — and these guys mean business when it comes to their food. The literally eat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. (Cold temps in winter may give us a temporary respite from ants but your heat keeps your walls warm too — keeping any termites inside your walls comfy cozy no matter the season.) Imagine nearly 2 million of these guys eating your home round the clock, every single day of the week. It’s easy to see how they can do so much damage, right? For more information on termites and how Blue Chip tackles them, click here: https://www.bluechipexterminating.com/termite-control-services-st-louis/

Also known as the “silent destroyers”, termites are known for chewing through wood at an alarming rate while managing to stay undetected for a very long time. They cause over $5 billion (yes, billion with a B!) in property damage each year — damage which is typically not covered by homeowner’s insurance.

Clearly, as homeowners, you will want to do everything you can to prevent them from destroying your property. Here’s a few prevention tips to keep keep them from creating a mess at your home:

• Seal cracks and holes on the outside, including entry points for utilities and pipes.
• Keep basements and attics dry and well-ventilated.
• Repair leaky faucets & water pipes outside your home.
• Keep mulch 15 inches from your foundation, if possible.
• Check for signs of termites/damage including mud tubes, bubbling paint or hollow wood.
• Repair fascia, soffits and rotted roof shingles.
• Replace weather stripping and loose mortar.

One of the questions we’re asked most often when it comes to termites is “How can I tell if I have an infestation?” This is a great question since one of the things most people know about termites is that if you do have an infestation, it can lead to some pretty serious property damage (costing upwards of thousands of dollars) before you are even aware you have any damage. While it’s important to get a professional termite inspection done every 1-3 years, there are definitely some tell-tell signs that could signify a termite infestation near or in your home.

SWARMERS OR DISCARDED WINGS: Every spring, male and female termite swarmers (the reproductive termites that have wings) emerge from their nest in search of a mate as well as a location to start a new colony. Swarming happens pretty fast (typically only take a few hours) so if you don’t see the actual termite swarmers, you might be able to spot their discarded wings.

MUD TUBES: These tunnels made of mud are typically found near the home’s foundation. It’s what the termites use to travel between their colony and their food sources.

WOOD DAMAGE: Wood that sounds hollow could potentially be source of termite damage as they tend to eat wood from the inside out.

BUBBLING PAINT: Bubbles are often formed from moisture so this most likely means you have water damage…or termites.

Question: What do St. Baldrick’s Foundation, HavenHouse of St. Louis, Unleashing Potential St. Louis, the World Bird Sanctuary, Hearts for Homes St. Louis, the Center for Autism Education and the JDRF Greater MO & Southern IL Chapter all have in common?

Answer: These are all amazing foundations and organizations in the St. Louis area that are doing some great things for incredible people…and birds! 🙂 And Blue Chip is proud to have already lent our support to each one of this along (along with many others) in 2019. We are experts at helping people with pests; however, we also like to think we’re pretty good about helping out in our community as well.

Do you know of a non-profit organization (or school or church or another organization) that needs support with an upcoming event? Have them email some information regarding their event to Kimberly at kimberly@stlbugs.com.