Fighting Off Termites

Preventing and treating termite infestations is a top priority for many homeowners. Termite control is not a do-it-yourself project, however; homeowners should always hire a certified pest management professional when treating or preventing termite infestations.

Termites — subterranean, drywood, and dampwood — infest different regions of the country, live in large colonies, and are the No. 1 wood-destroying pest in the country. Preventive measures for termites include treating the soil surrounding the house with pesticides, installing barriers around the home, a combination of the two, or less toxic bait-and-monitoring systems.

Soil Treatment

Soil treatment practices have seen many changes over the years. Chlordane — no longer used, but once the termiticide of choice — remained in the soil for decades and negatively impacted ecosystems. The new generation of soil treatments is water-based with low amounts of active ingredients. Termidor, the leading termite control product in the U.S., is a water-based solution of .06 percent fiprinol blended with large amounts of water. “Fipronil has been shown to have a very low hazard to mammals and none to vegetation. It’s the same thing used on household pets to kill fleas and ticks,” says Dr. Bob Davis, a research entomologist in Texas. “Termidor binds tightly with the soil when applied, so there is no risk of run-off or leaching into the ground water,” says Kat McAndrew, spokesperson for Termidor. Soil treatments like Termidor or Premise can be used as curatives or preventives and must be applied by licensed pest management professionals.

Soil treatment for termite entails digging a six-inch-by-six-inch trench around the perimeter of the home, applying the solution to the soil, and allowing it to rest before replacing the excavated soil. “The process to treat takes about half a day,” says McAndrew, “and the solution is completely odorless.” Termites that crawl through treated soil come into contract with fipronil either through ingestion or absorption and transfer the agent to any other termites through contact. Ultimately the entire colony becomes infected through transfer and dies off completely within months.

An infested home requires additional treatment steps, such as drilling into the foundation and more extensive application of the solution.