Understanding Termite Baiting
Termites can be a major risk for your home. Fortunately, termite bait systems provide a means of protection.
What Is a Bait Station?
A termite bait station is an alternative to traditional whole-house termite treatment. A bait is placed outside, typically around the perimeter of your home, for the termites. If there is a colony nearby, they will take the bait back to the rest of the colony. The idea is to destroy nearby termites before they infest your home or other structure.
How Do Stations Affect Termites?
The stations contain a food source that has been laced with a chemical termite pesticide. The pesticide doesn't kill on contact. This allows the termite to take some of the bait back to the main colony so that the entire colony can be eliminated. It can take several weeks for the entire colony to be affected.
Where Are Bait Stations Placed?
Your exterminator will use a combination of bait and monitoring stations. The monitoring stations do not contain pesticide, only a food source. Your exterminator will check the monitoring stations monthly. If termites begin to visit a station, then they will switch it from monitoring to a bait station. This serves two purposes. First, there is no need to maintain costly and poisonous bait stations that aren't being used. Second, a colony will become used to the safety of the monitoring station so the poison bait is less likely to scare them off once the switch occurs.
Can Bait Increase Termite Activity?
A bait or monitoring station will not attract termites to your home. Termites do not scout out very far for food sources; instead, they seek out sources near the existing colony. For this reason, the stations will only attract nearby colonies that were already scouting near your home for food. In this manner, you will be able to reduce the local termite colony without the worry of attracting new colonies to your home.
Is Baiting Effective On Its Own?
Baiting is very effective at preventing a new termite infestation. It is less costly and less invasive than applying and maintaining traditional sub-soil perimeter treatments. It does take weeks to a couple of months for baiting to destroy a problem colony, so this method is best reserved for preventing an infestation. If termites are already in your home, you need to treat that problem first and then add bait stations to prevent future infestations.
Contact a termite control service for more assistance.