Treatment
If you suspect a termite infestation in your home, contact your pest control expert to confirm if termites are present and if so, which species is attacking your home, before determining how to get rid of the termites. Subterranean termites build their nests in the soil underground and prefer different conditions than drywood termites, which build their nests in the wood they infest. These unique behavioral differences must be addressed with targeted control measures to match.
How to Get Rid of Subterranean Termites
Termiticide Application
Pest control specialists often treat subterranean termite infestations by applying termiticides to the soil around and under a house. This treatment provides a barrier of protection around the home and addresses potential termite entry points. In some cases, experts also apply termiticides to the surface of infested wood or inject it directly into the wood.
Monitoring and Bait Stations
Monitoring and bait devices are another method for identifying and controlling subterranean termite infestations. First, monitoring stations are set up near areas with confirmed or potential activity.
If activity is confirmed, your pest control expert will replace the monitoring stations with bait devices that will attract termites seeking new food sources. These forager termites will ingest toxins within the devices and then carry these toxins back with them to the colony, where they will share the lethal bait with their nestmates.
Unlike directed liquid treatments, bait treatments can control a much larger population than those who come into direct contact with the termiticide. Since colonies may be hundreds of feet from your house and up to 18 inches below ground, bait devices can have a broader reach to control termites in and around your home. However, this assumption of effectiveness depends on the proper placement of the bait devices - if not set appropriately, the termite colony may not come into contact with the bait. Once removed, these bait devices do not provide protection against future infestations.
Frequently, termiticides and bait devices are used in combination. Liquid spray and granular termiticides immediately kill termites that are in and around your home, while bait devices can provide more slow-acting support in controlling the termites that are deep within the nest.
How to Get Rid of Drywood Termites
Pest control experts typically treat extensive drywood termite infestations through gas fumigation or heat treatment. For targeted infestations, they can treat colonies with a termiticide injected directly into the wood that houses the colony.
When to Treat for Termites
Most termite treatments take place in the spring, since this is the time when most homeowners notice termite swarms - the most visible sign of a termite infestation.
However, termite treatments should be performed whenever signs of an infestation are discovered. Your pest control expert can advise if weather conditions would adversely affect the effectiveness of the recommended treatment method. For example, liquid soil treatments for subterranean termites should not be applied immediately prior to rainfall, as rain can reduce the concentration of the termiticide applied.