How a Termite Treatment is Done

Liquid Treatments

Repeat treatments also mean the pest control treater is not solving the problem of how the termites are getting into your house. If your house is a slab or concrete foundation, then the usual treatment is performed by digging a small trench about 6” -12” deep around the perimeter of your foundation. A termiticide is then sprayed into the trench. The trench is covered back over and that is it for the perimeter. Where there are concrete porches, sidewalks, etc. abutting the house foundation, the pest control treater will drill through the porch concrete and inject termiticide into the ground. The same thing is done for pipe penetrations in the house like sewer lines (toilets), bath tubs and sometimes, water lines. The pest control operator drills a hole through the foundation next to the toilet or other area until he reaches the soil below the slab. Then he injects the soil with termiticide. The idea is to put termiticide in the soil where subterranean termites can enter the house – along the sides of the slab and around pipe penetrations and cold joints between two slabs.

Bait Systems

A bait system is where the pest control operator inserts baiting tubes into the ground around the home in theoretically strategic locations.  These are called "bait stations" and are put in the ground with wood or other cellulose materials inside the tubes.  This is the bait.  The pest control operator then, theoretically, monitors these stations on a monthly, quarterly or biannually basis to see if subterranean termites are feeding on the wood or cellulose in the bait stations.  If live subterranean termites are found in the bait stations, then the pest control operator replaces the "bait" (the wood or cellulose material) with a termiticide.   Ideally, the replacement does not disturb the subterrean termites feeding on the "bait" and they then ingest the termiticide. 

In Sentricon® systems, the termiticide is Recruit II® and this agent is brought into the colony where the queen, as well as most of the remainder colony ingests it and dies.  Once the queen dies, the colony is considered eliminated, although termites, like most insects, have other colony members capable of replacing the queen if necessary. 

Keys to a bait system working are the consistent and careful monitoring of the system.  Bait systems are no less fallable than conventional liquid treatments and are generally far more costly.