This article is about TERMITE CONTROL/PROOFING. It will explain why they are a pest and what needs to be done for controlling infestations. Most of your questions will be answered in the article. Be sure to read all of it before you call in for our Pest control technical support team. If you are building a new home and want to know what to do during construction, go back to our article archive section by following the link below. There you will find a big article which will explain what you should do during construction. We also have in depth articles and information on just about all other pests.
Spring is when many insects begin anew. Some start with only a fertile queen. Some have gone dormant in winter and emerge when temperatures are warm. Some are active through winter and use spring as a time to send out reproductive. Such is the case with termites. Although spring is most likely the time to see termite activity, these insects are hard at work year round. Spring is when most termite colonies send out reproductive, or swarmer’s, and this "swarm" indicates a termite infestation. Properly identifying termites can save property damage, time and money.This article will explain what to look for and how to identify a termite infestation before they eat you out of house and home! Then we will recommend how to treat these infestations and what products to use. Subterranean Termites are the most common species of termites throughout the mainland of the United States. The bulk of this article is geared toward subterranean but the treatment methods, application techniques and materials will work for all species.
Termites are important in nature because they recycle cellulose or wood. Termites turn dead trees quickly and efficiently into food and nutrients which in turn feed many organisms. To a termite or Deemak, any structure (commercial or residential) with wood represents food. Once inside your precious commercial or residential structure, they will feed undetected in sill plates, studs, floor joists or any cellulose material they can access. This food will lure a continuous flow of worker termites to your structure. Proper treatment to stop this infestation includes creating a termite proofing and preservation chemical barrier in the soil around or in your structure. In some cases treating the wood will help and will protect your precious wood palling’s, doors, windows or other furniture’s etc. Now bait stations are being set out as well. All these tools can help in both protecting, preventing and controlling termites before they establish themselves in your structure and start doing damage.
There are different members in any termite colony. Most remain hidden. The main nest is located where moisture and temperature is consistent and meets their requirements. Worker termites and soldier termites travel away from the main nest and may be encountered under a log, woodpile or in your building. They are small; about 1/4" to 3/8" in length. They appear white and are soft and vulnerable. Termites do not like to expose themselves so they build dirt tunnels through which they travel. These will be readily seen on foundation walls, studs inside wall voids and on sill plate on top of foundation walls. Most are thin - not as thick as your pinky - but are large enough to allow termites to pass through in both directions. If the target is providing good food expect the tunnel to widen. This will invite more termites or other pests and or insects to have access to the food. These tunnels are used to carry food, stabilize temperature and regulate moisture. They also allow termite Swarmers to exit the colony.
Swarmers are generated once or twice a year. They leave their colony with the sole purpose of starting a new one. Swarmers are generally seen in the spring season and because they occur so infrequently, Swarmers are often ignored hardly detected as flying ants. Most people think the Swarmers are the ones that do the damage but in fact they don't.
Swarmers do nothing but leave an existing colony in search of another location where they can start a new colony. However, swarmers are very important. Any sign of Swarmers indicates active termites since we know swarmers can only emerge where active termites have created mud tunnels. If you have termite swarmers in your home, lawn, factory and or offices or immediately adjacent to the home, it means that your property or asset is now affected and got penetrated with silent and hidden enemy which need to be treated immediately. Don't ignore this important sign. Acting early and quickly will prevent damage and minimize infestation levels which makes controlling them all the more easy.
A termite swarm is short lived. Most are over within an hour or two. The swarmers emerge from existing tunnels or termite tubes. They fly to light or warmth. Although they have wings, termite swarmers are not good fliers. They flutter at best and will be blown away by any breeze. The males will be looking for females and try to pair off. The pair will mate and if conditions are right, a new colony will begin. Look for swarmers around windows, light fixtures, doors, partition walls, stoops and moist areas. Although they may emerge from wood which has damage, swarmers do not cause it. Their only purpose is to reproduce. Consider them to be a sign. Make note of where the activity was most concentrated and so that when you treat the key areas are treated thoroughly.
This is usually in one of several locations around the home. Porches, stoops, garage door jams, where garage slabs attach to basements, patio's, any door entrance, furnace rooms and crawl spaces with dirt floors. Remember! Always keep it in your mind the termites generally in damp and dark areas but they will take benefits of whatever they can including pressure treated timber, decks, landscape timber and even live trees!! In fact, it is not uncommon for an active termite population to kill a tree/colony within a duration. If you find live termites on any tree you wish to keep, be sure to treat it as described below. To help locate trees which may be in a weakened state due to termite activity, use STRESS EYE GLASSES. These unique glasses will show you just what trees, plants, shrubs or grass is under stress from things like lack of water, fungus or parasites like termites.
They can be very helpful at identifying when such plants are being impacted enough to warrant some extra care so you can save them from a sure death. Swarmers are often mistaken for small ants. Both are short; about 1/4" to 3/8" long. Both are dark in color. Both will occur in large numbers.
And since many ants feed on termites, it is common to think the termites are part of the ant activity you recently noticed. In fact what is happening is that the ants have moved into your home to "harvest" the termites. As the ants prosper from this healthy diet they will start to send out swarmers and more adult ants looking for new areas to feed and/or start new sub colonies. If the termite colony starts to swarm the ants will focus in on this highly nutritious snack and you will find an increase and concentration of the ants as they move in on the easy prey.
If you experience a swarm this spring, look for the differences between ants and termites to determine which you have. There are 3-key differences between the 2. The termite swarmer appears to have two distinct body parts - a head which is attached to an oval body. The ant swarmer appears to have three sections - a head, a thorax and an abdomen. This can usually be seen easily. A trained individual can see this quickly.
The next difference is the antennae. Ants have antennae which are elbowed. Look for this bend to be about 90 degrees. Termites have antennae which are straight. This is a big difference and can usually be seen with the naked eye. Having a magnifying glass will enable you to see this quickly.
The third major difference is termite swarmers tend to lose their wings. Expect to see a small pile of wings where most swarmers emerged. You may notice some swarmers without wings walking around. This is normal. Termite reproductive use their wings to carry them away from their own nest. These wings are soon shed. Ant swarmers are more likely to retain their wings. Do not expect to find piles of wings if ants are swarming. Most that die will have their wings attached.
Once termite identified, you can prepare yourself to do a treatment. If you have ants, go back to our ant article and review what needs to be done to control this persistent insect. If you now know you have termites, read on. The author will now explain what type of treatment options you have, what the differences are between them and what products should be used.
Since termites penetrates in your house’s foundation walls, through hollow foundations and up from under slabs, traditional treatments have been to treat the soil through which they travel (in between or soil tubes and ways to their colonies). The concept has been to create a barrier and that if termites were to travel through it, they would die. This has long been the accepted method and when done right will keep your hidden enemy out.
To treat outside the home, simply dig a trench against the foundation wall 4-6 inches deep. You need a trench so that when the chemical is applied it does not run off. The treatment involves applying chemical to this trench and allowing it to soak in. When the right material is used, the treatment should last several years. Equally important is being sure to apply the right amount of product for the area being treated.
The right amount of Termiticide needed will be based on how many linear feet you intend on treating. Linear feet is basically a measurement adjacent to the foundation. For example, if you were treating the outside foundation of a structure and it had 6 sides, you would have to add all the lengths of the sides up to get the total linear feet. This can be done with any standard tape measure but a MEASURING WHEEL is the easiest way to get this total. With the Measuring Wheel, all you would do is walk around the building and let the wheel add up all the distance.
It has a small meter that will keep adding up the distance you have rolled the wheel so when you have gone once around the foundation, you will have the total linear feet. Knowing the exact linear feet you have to treat is critical. Only when you know this total can you be sure that the right amount of termiticide will be applied to the soil. Without this basic information, it’s not possible to know just how much concentrate will be needed for the job at hand.
To treat hollow block, you will need to drill into the voids of the block. This may be a necessary treatment if such block was used for the foundation walls. Treatment involves pumping the chemical into the holes. This should provide several years of protection - probably longer than outside applications - since such spaces are well protected from the weather. Again, an exact measurement will be needed in order to determine just how much material should be applied. If the house is a slab or has a slab attached, you may need to drill and treat through the slab as well. Holes should be spaced one foot apart. Drill down from the top of the slab and drill the holes 6-9 inches away from the wall. Hammer drills are designed for this work and 1/2" holes are the most common size drilled. The chemical is then applied through the holes and will form a barrier under the slab to stop the termites from being able to enter. Although most of these applications are done with liquid, Foam sometimes proves to be valuable. Foam was first used in the early 1980's. Since gaps can occur under slabs when dirt settles, traditional liquids are not able to get all areas covered. The soil not treated or the bottom of the exposed slab not treated provide pathways on which termites can travel.
By using foam, you are able to "carry" the pesticide up and onto the bottom of the slab. This has proved to be invaluable for some homes where settling has occurred underneath the slab and several standard treatments have failed to stop the invasion. Foam applications became common in the early 1990's and today are used when several regular treatments have failed to completely stop the activity. If you know there has been a lot of settling, foaming might be the best option where the activity is present.
Though you may choose to foam more areas than needed, foaming will not hurt and certainly will provide a more complete treatment. However, it is time consuming and tedious. Use it where you know you have termites under a slab or in a wall for best results; standard soil treatments will provide adequate coverage and protection in the remaining parts of the home.
Although you may feel the wood which has been damaged by termite activity needs to be treated to effectively control them, this is seldom the case. Most infestations are controlled by treating the soil. The only exception to this is when treating for drywood termites. Drywood termites have the unique ability to survive with very little moisture but more importantly, above the soil! Drywood termites are only found in a few states but cause substantial damage where they are active.
This is due mostly to the fact that they access the structure far away and removed from where people are likely to see their activity. It is not uncommon to have drywood termites enter around rain gutters and soffits. Once colonies start feeding is when the damage occurs and at this time the homeowner notices the rotting wood. Soil living termites use mud tunnels when they come up so many times aware homeowners see the new activity before the termites are able to do any damage. Drywood termites are active in very small part of the United States. They are most common in southern California, Arizona and Florida. However, there is some activity in Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, southern Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. Unless you are sure you have Drywood termites, don't limit your treatment to the wood only. Dampwood termites,
Formosan and all the other subspecies of subterranean termites need to have thorough soil treatments done if your intention is to both keep out and protect the structure. Since the barrier in the soil prevents the termites from being able to enter the home, the ones left in the wood will die from dehydration. Termites need moisture on a regular basis and usually will return to the soil at least once a day. When the soil is properly treated, they will surely die and pose no risk if left untreated. However, the author has learned termites left in walls and other voids to die off don't always cooperate.
Too many times he has found the survivors are able to find a chink in the armor; a part of the soil treatment which was incomplete. Once found, they will scramble back down into the soil, find their way back to the colony and build new tunnels back to your home if the wood they were eating was worth it. To prevent this from happening, the author always suggests treating wood and voids where termites are thought to be active. This is done by using either a wood penetrating material or a wood injecting aerosol.
In the past couple of years, termite bait stations have become another tool which can be used when treating for termites. The concept is simple; by installing treated stakes into the ground foraging termites will find the stakes, eat them, share them with the colony and ultimately kill the colony. This sounds so appealing for several reasons. First, it is very easy to do. Second, it is inexpensive and third, it works for ants and roaches so why not for termites?
Well, there are many reasons why it won't work every time. First, it is not likely every termite colony which is active on your property will find a treated stake on which to feed. It is very likely that some colonies will find the stakes and the treated wood will have an impact on that colony. However, it is more likely that more colonies will miss the stakes all together. Some of these will undoubtedly find their way to your home. Secondly, baiting for insects works well when that insects colonization habits tend to be for the establishment of small colonies.
In fact, the larger the colony of any insect, the harder it becomes to control with a bait. This is true for rodents as well. One lone rodent or one lone roach is easy to control with a bait; 30 rats or 300 roaches will probably require the use of bait and spray. Thirdly, baits work best for insects which target specific food supplies and tend to feed exclusively on that food. In other words, the use of baits is most effective when the target pest is most likely to feed on one type of food source. Though termites target cellulose specifically, because there is so much of it around it is not likely the whole colony will feed on the treated wood alone. If enough of the treated stakes are not ingested by the colony, the colony will survive. This is why it is best to view the use of bait stations as another tool for termite control. Don't rely on bait stations alone; incorporate them into a complete package which includes liquid treatments around the entire home to prevent termites from gaining access to the home, wood and void treatment where termite activity has been noted and bait station placements where you have ideal conditions for termites to be present. This diversified defense will provide the best overall protection. Remember, wood and void treatment is designed to kill current activity. Soil treatments are designed to protect the structure by creating a treated band of soil around the home through which the termites cannot enter. Bait stations are designed to be used as monitors around the home intended on impacting local colonies BEFORE THEY EVER GET TO YOUR HOME. Installing bait stations around your property will enable you to have some monitoring devices around the home which can be used to "see" what is happening as well as allow you to impact local colonies active on your property even though they aren't in your home. By weakening them out in the yard you are diminishing the risk of them ever finding your home. Clearly the best treatment strategy is the combination approach. Now that you have a general understanding of the termite and the application methods needed for controlling this pest, you can consider which products to use for treating your infestation.
If you want to do some treating for termites, first decide where you want to treat. If you have wood damage or what might be current termite activity in a wall void, use some BAYGON AEROSOL. This product comes with a tube which enables you to inject it deep into damaged wood cavities or galleries created by termites. Baygon is easy to use, kills termites on contact and will last for several months in the wood. You may need to drill small access holes into which you would place the tube for injection.
If the wood is damaged, the Baygon will flow into the cavities and penetrate a foot or two. Space your drill holes a foot apart to insure proper coverage. If you have a large area of exposed wood you would like to treat, use BORACARE. This product is in the Boron family so it is both low in odor and safe. It is clear, mixes with water and is applied with a pump sprayer. Boracare works for powder post beetles, carpenter ants and decay fungi. It has special carriers which enable it to penetrate untreated wood. Boracare works as a stomach poison. If termites try to eat treated wood, they will die. Boracare lasts a long time.
A good treatment is expected to last several years and even longer when applied into protected wall voids where breakdown due to rain and sunshine will not occur. Both the Baygon and Boracare treatment options are great for subterranean termites which are in the wall as well as Drywood Termite activity. The rule is simple; if you have a small area to treat, the Baygon will suffice. If you have a large area like the wood joists and sill plate above a crawl space, use the Boracare.
If you have a lot of activity in a wall void or cement blocks which you want to treat as thoroughly as possible, you can use the FOAMING TOOL which will create a thick foam of termiticide that will penetrate better than the traditional liquids or aerosols. You can add the
Boracare to the Foaming Tool, along with some FOAMING AGENT, and you will be applying a thick whip cream type of material which will penetrate deep into all the voids, galleries and cracks that termites typically find. This type of treatment has many benefits. First, it will stop termites from eating as well as living in the void. Second, it will protect the wood in the wall indefinitely.
Thirdly, Boracare will stop many other pests from living in the wall as well. If you are only treating the wall space for prevention, you can use TIMBOR as well. Timbor will not penetrate the wood like Boracare but it will prevent wood destroying insects from nesting or eating local cellulose so use it before you have activity. Once termites are known to be active or suspected of being active, use the Boracare. Its penetrating power makes it the better choice when you absolutely have to get deep into wall voids which may be harboring termites.
Now that you know what to use for treating wall voids where Drywood or Subterranean termites might be living, you need to consider a soil treatment. As explained above, this material will bind to the soil and provide several years of protection. This will keep foraging termites from finding your house and feeding on it. This product should be applied after you have dug a trench around the home
4-6 inches deep with a TRENCHING TOOL. There are several products to use for this treatment but none of them last like the materials we had 10-20 years ago. Today’s products will probably last 3-5 years depending on the strength of the finished material you apply. Most people want to know which product is "the best" or which one will "last the longest". Well, any product that keeps termites out of your home is the best and how long it will last depends mostly on how much you apply! Most of today’s materials come with two application rates. Use the lesser rate and you should expect 3 years of protection; use the stronger rate and you should expect 5 years of protection. In general, don't wait longer than 5 years to retreat. The simple process of renewing the chemical barrier around the home insures you won't get renewed termite activity! For this application you should use a good TERMITICIDE which is concentrated. Today’s materials have low to no odor and are easy to work with. Apply the material to the trench using a HOSE END SPRAYER.
These devices are easy to use. Simply fill the concentrate into the sprayer, dial it in to the proper number which depends on the material being used, hook it to your hose and spray. It works by sucking out the concentrate, mixing it with the water flowing from the hose and spraying it where you direct the stream. Using the pressure of the water hose makes for easy application. Use this applicator for treating trenches but it can also be used if you are treating mulch piles, pine straw, wood chips and other places around the home and/or adjacent to the structure where termites like to feed. If you have termite tunnels going up a tree you don't want damaged, be sure to treat it at the base. Trees will easily succumb to the impact of such parasites and are more sensitive than most people realize. More important, allowing a termite colony access to such a food source will keep them active close to your home which will inevitably lead to them getting inside. Try to treat such areas prior to putting the wood chips, mulch or pine straw out since treatment will be more thorough and complete.
However, if you discover termite’s active in such locations after everything is in place, get some of the concentrate and be sure to treat heavy. Treating these areas and making them termite proof is just that much more protection for the house. If you have to treat holes through a slab, you will need a tool like our SLAB TREATER. This device allows you to get the chemical subslab and even into cement blocks. Once you are finished treating, plug the holes with our 1/2" CORKS and then seal them with cement. If you insist on using a more elaborate sprayer, you can use either our ONE GALLON or TWO 1/2 GALLON Pump Sprayer by removing the nozzle and directing the sprayer extension into the holes. This will prove to be time consuming with all the pumping you will have to do so one of our 20 Electric Sprayers might be the better option. You can review our line of sprayers on our SPRAYER PAGE to learn all the differences and options we offer. The SELF-POWERED SPRAYERS will provide the most similar tool to that of a professional but is rarely needed. Remember, it is getting the product under the slab that matters the most. Most of the sprayers we feature will accomplish that task; be sure to pick one that will do that for you as well as be applicable for other applications.
If you have treated your slab before and the termites have returned, you may need to step up to the FOAMING TOOL we detailed earlier for void treatment. This same tool can be used to treat under slabs which have been allowing termites’ access to your home even after several standard liquid treatments. Be sure to use the right amount of product even though you are foaming. When using foam, it will take longer to treat so consequently most people don't use enough of the concentrate. You can mix any of the concentrates we sell along with the FOAMING AGENT and the end result will be a thick heavy foam which will fill the void under the slab which has been allowing the termites to avoid the treated soil. Remember, you won't have to treat the soil if you have drywood termites; subterranean termites are the species which will return to the soil requiring you to saturate it around both sides of the foundation to stop them from gaining access.
Now that you have treated any wall voids where termites may have been living and treated the soil around the home to prevent them from returning, you should consider the use of TERMITE BAIT STATIONS which are excellent monitoring devices to use around your property. Install them about 5 feet apart 3-5 feet away from treated soil along foundation walls. Try not to space them any more than 8 feet apart. These come with untreated stakes which will lure termites. Inspect them once a month if you can; no longer than once a quarter to see if you have had any action. Once you do, replace the active stake with a TREATED STAKE. This new stake will now become the target and immediately impact the colony which makes the mistake of eating the treated wood.
Be sure to inspect the treated stake monthly and replace it as it gets damaged. This will insure you have a constant supply of treated wood for the colony. When you remove the untreated stake which has the first signs of activity, it is a good suggestion to place it alongside the now treated stake you insert in the vacant bait station. There are several reasons for this.
First, it is thought that the stake which the termites have been feeding on will keep activity high in the area - something you want when using Termite Bait.
Secondly, adding a couple more immediately around the first station with activity is suggested since the supply of food is what will ultimately keep them around. Small amounts of food will only keep them interested for small amounts of time. By placing another one or two stations in the ground will help keep them around longer.
If the soil you are placing the stations in is unusually hard or dense, use the SOIL AUGER. This tool is excellent at cutting the precise sized hole needed to place the
Bait Stations easily and tightly. Another option is to upgrade to the DUAL BAIT STATION. This features the same wood monitor as the basic station but it also has a top which opens. Under the cover are chambers which can be used to hold liquid and granular baits for other insects like ants, roaches and crickets. This station provides protection for the bait so it will withstand the rain and sun much longer than when the same materials are applied on the ground. The Dual Bait Stations can be placed in the ground by cutting a hole using the Soil. Auger as well. A special key is needed to open the top so be sure to order at least one if you upgrade.
In summary, termites are a pest which can cause a lot of damage in and around the home. In order to protect the structure you own, use a combination of the best materials and application methods available today. These include wall or void treatment when treating for drywood termites or active subterranean termites, subslab and perimeter soil treatments alongside foundation walls to prevent the local colonies from having access to your home and bait station installations to monitor local activity. This approach will help you keep activity on your property minimized as well as out of your home.
If you want to see some of the products listed above, click on any names which are a different color or appear on our web page underlined. These are links directly to our product catalog where you will be able to see them as well as learn more about how to apply them. You can also follow the links below and go directly to our termite products page.
Once you decide what you need to treat for termites, order on line for special discounts or call on our toll free for further assistance.
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