Termites are the most common home pest in the United States. They do severe damage to a home’s structural integrity, but because the damage happens underground and inside the wood of a home, many homeowners are unaware of the problem until it’s too late.
If your home is infested with termites or you suspect it is, you can choose either chemical and nonchemical treatments. While a chemical treatment will be required to deal with the problem, nonchemical treatment approaches can help the chemicals work more effectively. If you are having problem in termite control infestation, please call us!
Treatments using Chemicals
Modern termite treatments include the use of chemical insecticides. While significant progress has been made in recent years to improve the safety of chemical treatments and reduce their environmental impact, they must nevertheless be handled with caution to avoid poisoning the soil or water of the surrounding areas.
Pesticides that kill termites on touch are used in soil-applied liquid treatments, which are the most popular of chemical treatment approaches. In addition to eradicating any termites that have already made their way into the house, soil-applied liquid treatments also build a lengthy barrier that helps avoid future infestations.
This approach infects termites gradually as it moves from worker termites to the termites on which they feed, and it is specifically designed to kill the entire colony slowly but entirely.
Termite Baits: Termite baits contain slow-acting pesticides that have a lower risk of harming humans and the environment in general. The baits are buried or placed over active mud tubes around the home’s perimeter. Termites eat the bait and spread the poison throughout the nest, killing the colony gradually (but totally).
Borates are chemical compounds made from the mineral boron, which is obtained from the soil. Borates are typically used as a preventative treatment to seal cracks and crevices in a home, preventing termites from entering. Because borate treatments can be dangerous to humans and pets, they are often used only in hidden areas where termites feed.
Treatments without the use of chemicals
While chemical treatments kill termites directly (albeit slowly), nonchemical therapies work in tandem with pesticides to kill termites indirectly. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, but the most common are the use of nonchemical biological agents and the creation of physical barriers to entry.
Nonchemical remedies will not be able to completely remove the problem in the same way that chemical treatments can, but incorporating nonchemical tactics can help a chemical treatment work more effectively.
Nematodes are tiny roundworms that seek out and enter termites and other insects, where they live as parasites and eat until the host dies. Nematodes are viewed as a safe yet effective way to enhance other termite-extermination efforts because they have no detrimental effects on humans, pets, or plants.
Fungi: While certain fungi are consumed by termites, others are toxic to them and can operate as a natural toxin. Metarhizium anisopliae is extremely effective: like termite baits, the fungus’ spores work as a slow-acting poison that spreads from the first infected termite to the remainder of the colony, gradually but completely eradicating it in a matter of weeks.
Sand: Termites can be kept out by using sand as a barrier. Because sand does not absorb moisture and cannot be tunneled through, it is an excellent termite preventative for crawl spaces, fence posts, terraces, and other termite hotspots. Aside from basic prevention, sand can also be used to isolate an existing termite infestation, preventing the problem from worsening.