Termite Bait System Made Simple

Transcription

1 Page 1 Termite Bait System Made Simple Adapted from Termite Baits: A Guide For Homeowners by Michael F. Potter, Extension Entomologist, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. All photos URC Global Care Sdn Bhd unless otherwise stated. Please note that all photos in this publication are copyrighted material and may not be copied or downloaded without express permission from URC Global Care Sdn Bhd..

2 Content 1. What are termites? Termite Food How Termite Damage Wood Infestation Signs 2. What is termite baiting system? 3. Baits or barrier? 4. DIY vs professional? Page 2

3 1. What are termites? Page 3 A small, pale soft-bodied insect that lives in large colonies with several different castes, typically within a mound of cemented earth. Termite colonies eat non-stop 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can cause a lot of expensive damage to a building. Subterranean termites (see pic) are the most destructive kind. They can destroy building foundations, wooden support beams, plastic plumbing pipes, sub-flooring, insulation even swimming pool liners and filtration systems! Termites can also injure or destroy living trees and shrubs. Source: Pest Guide

4 1. What are termites? (cont d) Page 4 Food: Termite's primary food source is cellulose. It is a food source that can be easily found in any buildings. Once termites are the building they may also attack wooden furniture and books. Termite Damage: Termites eat wood by removing the cellulose to take back to the colony. They leave wood hollowed out along the grain (see pic). You might also see dried mud and soil lining the tunnel. This is unique to termite damage. From L to R: Damage to books, staircase and parquet floor. Image Credit:

5 1. What are termites? (cont d) Page 5 Infestation: if you discover any of these, get your house inspected immediately: Winged termites or swarmers Earthen (mud) tubes, frequently made of mud/dirt and/or termite droppings. Termite mounds (outside the home) From L to R: Swarmers flying on the ceiling, mud tubes on inside walls, termites mounds in the garden. Image Credit:

6 2. What is termite baiting system? Page 6 Baiting system is where small amounts of baits are deployed in well-placed stations to knock out populations of termites foraging in and around the structure. A comprehensive baiting program seeks to maintain a termite-free condition on building through ongoing inspection, monitoring and re-baiting as needed. Bait stations may be placed under-the-ground or above-the-ground (see pics).

7 How It Works Page 7 Bait stations placed in strategic locations. It may be under or above-the-ground. Fresh baits are inserted to attract termites. Foraging worker termites from any colony within the vicinity of the building will then discover the stations and proceed to devour it. Once an inspection of the bait station reveals termites, fresh baits laced with termiticide will be reinserted into bait stations. The termites eat the bait + termicide, go back to colony and then pass the poison throughout the colony, by means of trophallaxis (transfer of food). In this way, the termite colony is wiped out slowly.

8 How It Works (cont d) Page 8 Bait stations are checked periodically checked for foraging termites (every couple of months). Too frequent checking is not recommended, as this might scare away the termites The more bait stations installed, the better the chances of locating termites. Installing more stations increases the odds of encountering multiple colonies. Regardless of which product is used, the homeowner must be prepared and willing to accept the possibility of a lengthy baiting process. Once the termite colony is wiped out, periodic monitoring of the bait station needs to be carried out every few months throughout the warranty period. Elimination of a colony does not mean another colony won t replace it from an adjacent area

9 3. Baiting System vs Barrier This is the most common question from Clients trying to decide which form of treatment to purchase. Factors to consider are: 1. Are you opposed to having your floors and walls drilled, or furnishings moved? Clients considering a bait treatment are usually relieved to learn that their carpeting won't have to be rolled back, their floors extensively drilled, or furnishings moved, as is often the case with conventional liquid applications. The technician may not even need to come indoors to install or monitor the stations. Drilling noise, concrete dust, application hoses, and similar disturbances are avoided. 2. Are you opposed to having pesticides applied in and around your home? Conventional liquid treatments utilize hundreds of gallons of termiticide, injected into the soil under and around the house. Health and environmental risks from such treatments are generally considered negligible, but some householders still are apprehensive. With baits, the amount of pesticide applied is minute and confined in tamper-resistant stations. Page 9 Liquid termiticide for barrier treatment Image Credit:

10 3. Baiting System vs Barrier (cont d) 3. Are there construction features that make it hard to treat with a liquid? Some buildings have wells, cisterns, nearby ponds or streams, plenums, sub-slab heating ducts, drainage systems, inaccessible crawl spaces, or other features that complicate treatment of soil with a liquid. With baits, such conditions aren't a problem and may be the only feasible form of treatment. Houses that were unsuccessfully treated with liquids also are candidates for baits, since they do not require gaining access to hidden or hard-to-reach areas. 4. How quickly must the infestation be eliminated? A limitation of all termite baits is that they are relatively slow acting compared to the effects of liquids. Several months may pass before termites find the baits underground and distribute them to their nestmates. Consequently, the elimination process can take several months or longer to complete, and a degree of feeding and damage may occur before the bait takes effect. Homeowners with a severe termite infestation or those involved in a real estate transaction may not want to wait this long preferring instead that a liquid be applied alone or in combination with baits. Page 10 Barrier method: Holes will be drilled around the primeter of the building and liquid termiticide will be injected into these holes.

11 3. Baiting System vs Barrier (cont d) Page How much are you willing to spend for treatment? Baiting system starts from about RM1800 for initial treatment or RM100/meter, and from RM250 per visit for the annual renewal warranty in case termites return. Baiting often is more costly than liquid treatment because the process requires several visits to the structure to monitor for termites, and add or replenish baits. Clients should consider both the initial treatment price and the annual renewal fee in making their purchasing decision. Whereas liquid treatments usually entail an annual follow-up inspection, bait renewals typically require three or four visits per year, for as long as the contract is in effect. Thus, the annual renewal fee for baiting may be two to three times higher than for liquid treatments. Failure to maintain the annual renewal agreement can be a prescription for disaster with baits, since there is no residual pesticide left in the soil after the termites have been eliminated. Ongoing structural protection depends on monitoring for the possible return of termites in the future.

12 4. DIY vs Professional? Page 12 Baiting system is a useful and effective tool for managing termite infestations. Regardless of which product/system is used, they will not work by simply hammering a few stations into the ground and walking away. Success will require thoughtful installation and diligent monitoring by an experienced technician, backed by a responsible pest control firm. Successful termite baiting requires proper installation, monitoring and bait replenishment, plus ongoing surveillance of the structure. When using baits, supplemental treatment measures also may be necessary. For these and other reasons baiting is usually best left to professionals.

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