MLAVERDE - hi, I've never fought off termites but a rental house I was in had problems with carpenter ants. The house had lots of shrubs around it, which held water. And, the shrubs were very close to - and in many cases, touching - the house. I ended up trimming the shrubs to where I could easily walk in the space between the shrubs and the house, and that helped me get rid of them.

The plastic and rocks may be holding too much water near the shrubs, which would attract the termites. (I understand from other research that they like damp/moist wood.) Did the exterminator treat anything inside/underneath the house? Did he detect any excessive moisture in the wood around the house? If you only have the problems outside in the shrubs, then again I'm thinking the plastic and rocks may be holding too much moisture in the shrubs.

I'm not an exterminator so I can't offer an expert opinion. If you do some Google'ing for termites, I know you'll run across lots of information on them...I did when I researched carpenter ants. Good luck - and thank a veteran you know this weekend! Jim D/West Point, VA