Termites and Their Control
Quite a Problem
Termites are the most economically important insect in the United
States and in other places as well. Their destructive force is simply incredible and they
cause millions of dollars worth of damage every year. As land owners, we tend to
forget that termites attacking our homes are simply performing their natural function
of breaking down
wood. Termites are common in forests as recyclers of wood.
There are several species of termites in the United States. The
most common ones are the Subterranean , Drywood and Formosan termites. What makes these
insects so destructive is their ability to actually digest the wood fiber or cellulose.
The actual digestion of wood is performed in the gut of a termite by protozoa living
there. The protozoa are passed on from generation to generation by the feeding of termite
fecal matter from adults to young termites.
Is it a Termite or an Ant?
One of the most urgent questions we get is
where a winged insect found in the home is a termite. Both termites and
ants may have a swarming stage or reproductive. Here are some
characteristics to help you to make a determination:
Termite Reproductives:
Wings are
paddle shaped and are twice the length of the body
Antennae
are straight and fairly short
Body has
only two components: head and (ribbed) abdomen as one continuous piece
Ant Reproductives:
Wings are
somewhat pointed and only slightly longer than the length of the body
Antennae are curved
Body has three distinct components: head, thorax (mid-section) and abdomen
Prevention
Avoiding an infestation of termites can be achieved to some extent
by eliminating moisture build-up, especially in areas where structural wood exists.
Sometimes, something as simple as adding vents to an area with excessive
moisture can do
wonders to help make wood less attractive to termites.
When it comes to control, there are some do-it-yourself products.
However, it has been our policy at The Bug Clinic to always recommend a commercial
applicator for termite control. There are three reasons for this:
Commercial Termiticide Applications
Currently, there are a few techniques for termite treatments,
depending on the type of termite infestation. However, there is some disagreement amongst
professional applicators in terms of the performance of these treatments as well as
selecting a method from the variety of treatments that may be done for a particular termite problem. There is also a
complication caused by state laws in the US which may restrict products and
techniques which further
confuses the treatment issue.
Soil Treatments
The most commonly performed termite treatment
is a perimeter soil treatment. The concept is to erect a insecticidal
barrier by applying relatively large amounts of termiticide to the soil
surrounding a structure. Several years ago, only a complete barrier
treating both the inside and outside of the home was acceptable to the
industry. Today, partial treatments are common with a warranty be offered
for the treated area only. Some applicators, where possible, will try to treat the
outside only to avoid the liability and inconvenience of treating inside a
structure.
There are a number of products in use
today. These include (by trade name) Demon TC, Dragnet FT, Prelude, Phantom, Premise, Prevail, and Termidor. The most unique of these
are Phantom, Premise and Termidor.
Premise is a relatively new compound containing a nicotine
derivative call imidacloprid. This product has proven to be one of the
most effective. The second product, Termidor, contains fipronil.
Fipronil has proven to be an excellent control product and the manufacturer is
providing a five year performance warranty to the applicator. (Note to New
Yorkers: neither of these two product is registered for use in your state.)
Finally, Phantom, containing another new
active ingredient, chorfenapyr, is registered in every state, including New York. It, too, has non-repellent characteristics which make it similar
to both Premise and Termidor. After two years, the results from this product
have been very good. For anyone In New York, it would be the product of
choice over any other liquid termiticide.
Foam Application
Some termiticides may be applied by mixing
them with a foaming agent and using a small compressed air tank which churns up
the mixture into a shaving type foam and then pushes the foam into drilled
opening. Foam offers some advantages in situations where liquid
applications fail or will not reach needed areas.
Dust
Dusts may be applied to wall voids or other
areas where liquids or foam are impractical. Products that may be used
include Tim-Bor, Drione & Delta Dust.
Direct Wood Treatment
Products such as Bora-Care or Tim-Bor are
applied directly to wood. These will kill both subterranean and drywood termites. In other cases, equipment such "Electrogun" are used
to electrocute drywood termites.
Bait Treatments
Termite baits for subterranean termites are an alternative to traditional, in-ground perimeter treatments. There
are currently four manufacturers of these products, Dow AgroSciences (Sentricon)
,
Exterra (Labyrinth) and FMC (FirstLine Termite Defense System) and Whitmire
(Advance Termite Bait System). One applicator, whose opinion is valued, has reported very good success with
Sentricon. Other applicators has had some success with First Line. We
have not yet heard about results using Labyrinth, but since it uses a technology
similar to Sentricon, similar results are likely. Advance Termite
Bait System is relatively new, but also uses proven technology to control
termites. Initial feedback from applicators has been good.
Sentricon and
Labyrinth are available to a limited number of applicators whom
have been pre-qualified by the manufacturers. The active ingredient for those product,
a growth regulator (IGR or Insect Growth Regulator), has a superior chance of eliminating termite colonies.
FirstLine has less of a chance to work because it is a slow acting product that may kill the termites
before they can distribute the insecticide back to the entire colony. Thus Sentricon
or Labyrinth appear to be more viable alternatives to a traditional perimeter application.
Advance Termite Bait System, uses the same IGR technology as the
Sentricon and Labyrinth products, but does not require that applicators register
with the manufacturer prior to the purchase of their product.
Fumigation
Tarp or tent fumigation is generally done using a
product called
Vikane. This technique is used for drywood termites
although it can be used for other species as well. Fumigation will kill
all insects in the treated area, but there is no residual properties which
leaves the area quickly vulnerable once again. Dow AgroSciences
manufactures
Vikane. Click on either the link to learn
more about it at the manufacturer's web site.
If you have any other questions on termites, please contact us at
800-433-1128 or 845-356-2837. We can also be reached via fax at 845-356-2836. E-mail us at
drbugclinic@bugclinic.com.
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