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:

• If you go to sell your home or business property in the future and during a routine inspection, evidence of termites is found, the bank will not accept self-treatment and will require a commercial application
• If you do it yourself, the treatment is not guaranteed; commercial applicators generally offer a warranty of some sort which is often continually renewable and transferable.
• Some treatments such as fumigation are beyond the skills of a building owner or the termiticide required is restricted and can only be purchased by a state certified commercial applicator.

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.