Different Types of Termite Control

Termite control systems typically come in four types, which are cultural, physical, biological, and chemical.

Cultural control refers to the things we do and how they are done. For example, staying in houses that sit up high, or living in areas where temperature prevents the termites from infestation. Some may even keep animals that consume termites as pets. These are not very common methods as not everyone prefers living in a certain way although they can be very successful.

Physical control is the removal of termite food from the reach of termites. The food would be anything fibrous like timber, cotton, cardboard, and old newspaper. The physical control that is usually taken is by putting a barrier, such as placing slabs in between the ground and the fibrous materials, or placing them on stirrups. Another thing that can be done is to use heat over 45 degrees Celsius or cold of subzero temperature to deal with these pests where they cannot thrive. As it is difficult to get the fibrous materials at such temperature, people tend to opt for the earlier said method of placing barriers.

Biological control has had little success with termite control. What is done is that the termite’s natural enemies are released to feed on them. Some of these natural enemies are like birds and ants. Some has used nematodes (tiny worms which are parasites to termites) and fungi as well which may cause the termites to fall ill. In the laboratory setting, such biological control has been successful, although it has not taken off well in the market just yet.

Among all the systems, chemical control would be the least desirable. As chemical control lead to poisoning of the soil, people are taking this option as the last resort. In this form of control, the soil would be treated with some toxic residues, or a structure may be surrounded with them, while flooding it with toxic gas which can be damaging to the ozone layer. On one of the chemical methods, toxic molecules would bind with the soil particles, which make the soil difficult to break apart for the termites to tunnel through. Another method is the bait box technique, whereby toxins will be filled into the bait, and when a termite feed on it, they will carry it back with them to the colony, which will then infect the others. The spot treatment method is done for areas you are definite that termites are infesting on.
The best method would be the integrated termite management, which is simply combining parts of each different termite control systems. This should be done after proper planning, followed by the action, monitoring, adapting and reviewing.

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