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How can you defend against insect invaders without encircling a home with poison? Termite baits offer an alternative response for termite problems. A series of precisely placed food/insecticide soil inserts and surface-mounted plates, termite bait stations and monitoring stations are part of a methodical inspection and treatment program. By progressively concentrating the treated bait where the termites are active, the baits get rid of the termites without excessively polluting soil, air, or water.
There are several methods of termite baiting. One is to install "stakes" or stations containing toxic bait directly into the soil around the house. The other is the "bait and switch" approach, first installing untreated food, then replacing it with treated bait when the food is infested. Sentricon makes such a system. FMC makes FirstLine, a termite baiting station using an insecticide stomach poison in a cellulose matrix. FMC is modifying their product to incorporate untreated stations that last longer than treated bait stations. The bait is a cellulose food treated with termiticide, a toxic substance and/or insect growth regulator. The food is wood or laminated-texture cellulose, which is favored by termites. Termites eat the treated food and carry it back to the nest, reducing the size of the colony. The termiticide in the bait works slowly enough that termites have a chance to go back to the nest instead of dying near the bait, because dead termites repel other termites.
An advantage of termite baiting is its flexibility. It is difficult to determine the exact location of nesting areas, and baiting allows the pest control operator (PCO) to place several monitoring stations around the foundation and near likely food sources, then check them periodically. If termites are sighted in the clear cover of the station, additional stations are installed. Bait monitoring can also be used as a preventive measure where there are no termites.
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Termite baiting avoids the chemicals used in conventional termite control measures.
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Termite baiting systems are usually only available to licensed pest control operators. Some retailers sell small, tamper resistant termite bait systems without monitors. According to the National Pest Management Association, the clear plastic top can get scratched and cloudy and cannot be opened for checking. Additionally, professional monitoring programs are not available for them. Many states require language on the packaging indicating that homeowner-applied baits are not recommended as stand-alone treatments.
Termite control is not a do-it-yourself project. A professional PCO should always be contracted for termite control, rather than a general contractor. Because it may be difficult to get the termites to find the baits, baiting may need to be combined with other methods to be effective, especially in areas like the desert Southwest where species don't go out seeking food as much.
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
All termiticides are required to provide five years of effectiveness data from the USDA Forest Service field testing sites, but baits are not so required. The EPA is developing protocols for how well termite baiting systems work. Codes generally mandate that all wood in contact with soil be treated with a preservative.
Not Applicable
The standard termite treatment involves applying termiticide as a continuous barrier in the soil around the house, installing continuous termite shields at the top of the foundation, and/or pressure-treating any wood that may be susceptible. Other termite treatments include termiticide foam, pouring sand as a physical barrier, moisture control, wood elimination, ultrasonic devices, or introducing nematodes (parasitic roundworms) to infest and kill termites. A combination of methods are used for "integrated pest management," as many times a single technique is not enough.
Before application, it must be decided whether the goal is to kill the whole colony, eliminate the active termites in the house, repel them, or just check for termites. Generally, the more stakes, the faster the termites are controlled. Spring and early summer are good bait months. Baits are often applied in "directed placement" where stations are located in small groups close to active termites, in mulch or soil fairly close together. Since relocating the stations is critical, it is useful to make a diagram or place markers so the stations can be located for monitoring. Indoors, above-ground bait stations can be attached directly to active mud tubes (exposed, termite-built tunnels) on infested wood or masonry. The above-ground baits can be very effective, especially where pavement limits the installation of in-ground baits, where expensive flooring prohibits drilling for conventional termiticide application, or inaccessible construction like crawl spaces.
Not Applicable
Using much less termiticide, termite baits do not produce an odor like standard treatments. They can be used where liquid termiticide cannot, such as high water tables, wells, lakes, or in homes of the chemically sensitive.
Installed price is higher than conventional applications due to monthly monitoring. Although each station is about $1 to $2, the PCO bills out personnel on an hourly basis, and the system is ineffective without consistent follow-up. Prices for inspection, treatment estimates, and conditions of warranties vary considerably, and a guarantee is no better than the firm that presents it. Some companies will agree to a standard termiticide application if the bait stations don't perform well.
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