Termites (continued)

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Alternate control methods include:

1. Nematodes
Certain species of parasitic round worms (nematodes) will infest and kill termites and other soil insects. They have been promoted and marketed by a few companies since the early 1980s. Soil moisture and soil type appear to limit the nematode's ability to move in the soil and locate termites. Although effective in the laboratory, under field conditions control is often quite variable.

2. Sand as a physical barrier
It has been suggested that a layer of sand with uniform size particles could stop termite movement through the soil. This would have to be a pre-construction practice for slab construction. Sand would work as a physical barrier since termites would be unable to manipulate the sand to create tunnels. Sand of correct particle size, applied alongside building foundations in drier climates such as California and Hawaii, look promising. More research is needed under Midwest conditions.

3. Chemical baits
Wood or laminated texture cellulose favored by termites can be impregnated with a toxicant and/or insect growth regulator (IGR). Termite workers feed on the treated substance and carry it back to the nest, reducing or eliminating the entire colony.

a) DowElanco's Sentricon Colony Elimination System utilizes an insect growth regulator (IGR) hexaflumuron bait 0.5 percent (non-insecticide) against subterranean termites. Commercially available in May 1995 labeled for pest control operators only, they monitor for termite activity on your property. The Sentricon Station (a green cylindrical plastic tube with side ports for termite access) is placed in the soil at 12 to 20 feet intervals surrounding the house about 18 to 24 inches out from the structure. The tube top has a flat, round cover that lies flush with the soil surface when inserted to permit mowing grass over it. These cylindrical tubes (ten-inches deep by two-inches wide) first baited with wood (now a new, laminated texture cellulose), are placed in the soil in prime termite foraging areas around your house as a monitoring device to get "hits" (termites and feeding damage). When 10 to 100 termite workers are found attacking the wood in one or more stations, a baitube, containing Recruit*II Termite Bait, is substituted. Captured termites feed on Recruit*II, tunnel out and send their colony nestmates back to feed on the bait.

After several weeks, the colony will start to decline and eventually be eliminated. After a colony has been eliminated, used Baitube devices will again be replaced with monitoring devices. The pest control operator will continue to inspect on a monthly basis for any signs of a new colony that might try to invade your property.

Termites normally grow by molting (shedding their exoskeleton). The bait, hexaflumuron is a "chitin synthesis inhibitor" that prevents termites from growing by stopping the molting process. As a result, the colony is eliminated over time.

The Sentricon type system is more Integrated Pest Management (IPM) oriented, and requires no drilling in floors and foundations, less digging up of shrubs and other landscaping, and can be used to treat houses with wells and cisterns. "Outdoor' in-ground monitoring and baiting can be done without entering the house. However, recently approved in April 1997 for Ohio is an "indoor" above-ground baiting system, Recruit*AG wrap around soft packs in mud tubes and hard packs on sills, (Ohio 24c Special Local Need Registration). Bait can now be placed directly within mud tubes indoors, such as crawl spaces, interior foundations, walls, etc., year around, permitting faster direct access to bait and quicker colony elimination.

Since colony elimination, "crashes," is not always immediate (several weeks or months), the pest control operator may do spot treatments with an approved, labeled pesticide for quick localized control. Some PCOs guarantee if after two years on the system and termites are still present, they will treat with pesticides according to the customer's wishes.

The Sentricon System is ongoing and the customer pays for continuous monitoring after elimination of the termites if required. There is an initial installation fee and yearly fee per structure. The system is a little more costly than pesticide treatments based on extra labor and ongoing monitoring required. Ohio ranks second in the nation (7-8,000 plus) behind Florida with paid customers in the below ground Sentricon Termite Bait program.