Question

Our neighbor has some kind of termite bait tubes in her yard. She says that the tubes attract termites and then kill them. Do the tubes contain pesticide? I’d like to know more about how they work.

Answer

Happy to help. At Colonial, we’ve been using this method of termite control for years now and we’re very pleased with the results. There are several different types of termite baiting systems. The one we use is the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System. Our termite technicians have been specially trained and certified as Authorized Operators for this alternative control method. After an initial inspection and assessment, our termite technicians install the plastic tubes in the ground at regular intervals around the foundation of the customer’s home. After installation, the stations are barely visible.

The Sentricon bait stations contain cellulose material that termites like to feed on, plus Recruit bait. The bait is a pesticide that is of low toxicity to people and pets, and is environmentally-friendly. The bait station tubes have a locking mechanism on top making them child and pet-resistant. Termites are not actually attracted to the bait stations, however. They come across the bait station when they are foraging for food. Worker termites enter the tube through tiny holes, feed on the toxic bait, and carry it back to the termite colony where they feed the queen and others. Because of this bait transference, termites in the colony can be killed by the bait without even feeding at the bait station.

The in-ground tubes are both termite monitors and bait stations. Our technicians check the bait stations for termite feeding activity. Baits work slowly to reduce or even eliminate entire termite colonies. Even after feeding activity has stopped, the Sentricon Always Active bait stations are left in place as an early warning system for new termite activity.

Our customers like the fact that the bait stations are low-impact, “green” technology, and there is no mess or fuss involved. Unlike traditional termite treatments, termite baiting systems do not require any trenching, digging, or injecting of pesticide around the foundation. There is no disturbance inside the home, no drilling of floors or moving furniture. Our technicians visit the property twice a year to check the stations and replace bait, and the customer doesn’t even have to be home.

Hope this helps. Termites are actively foraging now so it would be a good time to protect your home with a termite baiting program. Give us a call to schedule a Sentricon home inspection and installation.

Photo credit: Gnilenkov Aleksey / Foter.com / CC BY