Answers to Your Questions About Termite Bait Systems
By Chris Williams on April 22, 2016.
What are termite bait stations? Termite baits are made up of a cellulose food, either wood or something similar, that is treated with a slow-acting toxin. The treated wood is placed inside plastic bait stations (monitor tubes) which are inserted into the ground around the perimeter of your home at regular intervals, or near problem areas. A small disc marks the top of the child-resistant station.
How do termite baits work? The baits don’t actually attract termites, but instead termites find the bait stations as they forage in the soil. Termites feed on the bait and also carry bait back to the colony where it is fed to the queen and other termites. The bait toxin is purposely slow-acting so that the termites aren’t killed before they can share the bait and recruit other termites to the bait station. A pest control technician visits your home regularly to check the bait monitors and to replace bait as needed.
Why should I choose termite baiting? Baiting is a good choice for people concerned about pesticide exposure since there is no pesticide application inside your home or to the soil outside your home. The toxin used in the bait stations is of very low toxicity to people and animals. A termite baiting program is very customer-friendly since there is no trenching or digging up your yard, no moving plants, no drilling of holes in walls and floors, no moving furniture, no pulling up carpet, no dust, odor, or noise. And you don’t even need to be home when a technician services the outdoor bait stations.
What are the negatives? Because the bait does not kill the termites immediately, if you have a current infestation, you may choose not to use slower-acting baits, or you may choose to supplement the baits with a traditional pesticide to give quicker kill. Once bait stations are removed, there is no protective barrier left behind in the soil as there would be with a conventional pesticide barrier treatment. A baiting program is generally more expensive than a conventional termite treatment, largely because the monitoring is ongoing, requiring multiple visits to your home.
At Colonial Pest, we rely on the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System and its Recruit HD bait. Visit our Services page to learn about Termite Treatment Using the Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System.
For more on the use of termite bait programs, see these Colonial blogs: