Baiting for termites (instead of drilling and injecting, or trenching around foundations) is a treatment technology that has been around for more than 15 years. Termite bait monitors (or bait stations) are basically feeding stations for termites that contain wood material plus toxic bait. The monitors are inserted into the ground around a home’s foundation to protect the structure from termites.

Probably the biggest selling point of a termite baiting system is that it’s customer-friendly. Baiting programs eliminate the need for drilling dozens of holes in floors and walls, moving furniture, or rolling back rugs. There is no dust, noise, hoses dragged through the house, and similar disturbance. Normally, you don’t even have to be home or make arrangements for access during the outside inspections.

While a termite baiting system is a good choice for anyone, it is especially recommended in the following situations:

• If your home has a higher than average risk of pesticide contamination from conventional termite treatment. This includes homes with wells or cisterns close to the structure, slab-on-grade homes with heating/AC ductwork in or under the slab, and homes with plenum construction.
• If your home would be difficult to treat with conventional insecticides because of an inaccessible crawlspace, rubble stone foundation, or foamboard insulation, stucco, wood siding, or EIFS (exterior insulation & finish system) extending below grade, or if your home has extensive shrubbery and complex plantings against the foundation wall.
• If your family objects to the noise, dust, disruption, and damage from drilling and treating with standard insecticides. You may not be willing to have brand new carpeting pulled up or expensive hardwood floors drilled and patched.
• If someone in your family is chemically-sensitive or chemophobic. If you object to the use of insecticide around your home, a baiting program will generally be more acceptable. Termite bait is placed in small amounts in protective, child-resistant devices, and only when and where needed. There are no vapors or odors during application, and no pesticide residue left behind in the soil.

At Colonial, we use a termite baiting system called the Sentricon Always Active Termite Colony Elimination System. Our trained technicians visit your home twice each season to check the stations and replace bait as needed. The monitors remain in the ground year round, protecting your home from termites. For more information about termite baiting, visit “Termite Control” under the Services heading above, or give us a call.