A Brief Guide to Termite Baiting

11/10/2021

Though termites are a well-known pest, many people don’t understand them and the most current techniques for managing them. In the recent years, there has been a significant evolution in termite control. Many pest control companies now use the termite baiting technique instead of the traditional methods. In this article, we will discuss the most commonly used termite treatment techniques to help you make a more informed decision. 

Termite Basics

Subterranean termites, the most commonly found type of termite, as their name suggests, are live below the ground in large colonies. These colonies are connected by underground tunnels to their feeding sites. Some termite colonies may have hundreds of thousands to millions of occupants. Subterranean termites excavate meandering, narrow channels until they encounter wood, their primary food source. The most common food sources for termites include decaying tree roots, woodpiles, stumps, logs, and plant debris. Once a suitable feeding site is found, an invisible odour trail is created by the workers to attract their mates to the site. Due to their cryptic behaviour, in many instances, termite infestation remains unnoticed for extended periods.

Barrier Treatment

Applying a liquid pesticide referred to as termiticide was the traditional approach to controlling termites under and around buildings. The purpose of this treatment is to prevent termites from infesting a structure by creating a long-lasting chemical barrier in the soil. While attempting to penetrate this treated soil, foraging individuals are either killed or repelled. While liquid barrier treatments are quite effective, they require the application of a large volume of termiticide around a building’s perimeter. the treatment may also involve drilling through porches and patios adjacent to the building. Compared to the past, nowadays, liquid barrier applications have become much less intrusive. 

Termite Baiting as an Alternative

A very different approach is employed by termite baiting systems. It uses small amounts of edible baits (generally cellulose combined with a slow acting insecticide) to knock out termite populations. Termites not only consume the bait, but also share it with their nest mates. This results in a gradual decease in the number of termites. Comprehensive baiting systems are designed to create a termite-free condition via inspection, monitoring, and re-baiting on a regular basis.

Choosing between Baits and Barriers

Many property owners find it difficult to choose between liquid barriers and bait stations. Honestly speaking, this decision depends largely on certain factors discussed below. 

  • Baiting is undoubtedly a better choice for people that don’t want to have their furnishings moved or floors drilled. Many property owners prefer baiting over barriers because it involves no dust, drilling, or any other disturbance.
  • If you believe in leading an environment-friendly lifestyle, baiting systems are certainly the better option for you. Health and environmental effects resulting from modern-day termiticides used in liquid barriers are negligible. However, some people are still apprehensive using them. The amount of pesticide used in baiting systems is miniscule, and baits are placed in tamper-resistant stations in the ground. 
  • Buildings with construction features such as sub-slab heating ducts, plenums, inaccessible crawl spaces, drainage systems, or wells may be too  complicated to treat with a liquid system. Such conditions aren’t a problem with baits. 
  • The only downside of baiting, compared to barriers, is that they are relatively slow-acting. Therefore, if you have severe infestation that needs to be addressed immediately, you may have to opt for barriers.   

If you are looking for the most advanced range of termite baiting stations or liquid controls, please contact our experts at Exterra. Our baiting stations are non-toxic, and provide long-term protection against termites. 

  

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