Subterranean termites can be attracted by landscape mulch as well as wood derived mulches. In some cases the mulch can draw termites into your house depending on the proximity between the area under mulch and the walls. Termites feed on wood, straw and paper mulch though they are mainly attracted by the moisture beneath the mulch. The wet patches soften the soil making it easy for them to make tunnels. There are a number of precautionary measures you can take as a homeowner to eliminate termite attack inside and outside your house despite conducting mulching activities in a kitchen garden adjacent to your home.
Importance of Moisture
Termites cannot survive without moisture. A colony of termites requires moisture levels of between 99 and 100 percent. This is why their tunnels are often sealed and the entrances narrowed using moist and moldable soil particles. Compared to terrestrial insects such as beetles, termites’ bodies are soft hence they are easily killed by long exposures to sunlight or any type of heat that can make their body fluids dry up.
According to Mississippi State University, the type of mulch you use does not matter provided you make piles of mulch that are two inches or less in thickness. This strategy is effective in reducing termites’ tunneling capabilities. They are also likely to be exposed to the sun and die after making a few tunnels.
Prevention Guidelines
Leave a strip of bear land, three feet wide, between the garden and the house. This is vital in ensuring that the mulch does not touch the walls and introduce termites to the wooden parts of the house such as the roof, window frames and the wall, if it is made of timber. The three feet stretch should as well be free of weeds, plants and shrubs whose leaves might drop and reserve moisture beneath them.
Use bricks in place of soil around the house. You can also use concrete or large stones to discourage termites’ tunneling activities. Plastic and gravel mulches’ effectiveness in termite prevention depends on rainfall levels your area receives thus; they fail to offer the required protection against house termite invasion in some instances.
House edges that are plants and mulch free are also easier to inspect in the bid to spot termite attack cases. This is according to prevention measures given by North Carolina State University to guard against termites and other timber eating insects’ infestations. Fix cracks whether the wall is constructed using timber or concrete as they can give subterranean termites access into your house.
Misunderstanding
One of the facts people misunderstand about termites is that they can gain entry into your house with the help mulch even the house contains freshly applied anti-termite chemicals. The other misconception is that various types of termites attack your house from deep underground barriers. This is not accurate because a thick mould of dry grass or mulch can preserve sufficient moisture and enable termites to thrive. This means that underground pesticides barriers cannot effectively control termites as they can as well use surface routes created by mulch or vegetation adjacent to your house.
Emily Taylor is a kindhearted individual who loves the outdoors; she spends most of her time lately working in her yard and tending to her garden. Through her trials with gardening she has learned a lot about maintenance and pest control and chooses to share her knowledge so that all can enjoy the joys of gardening as much as her.