Kansas IPM Education October 2005 Termite Treatments Termite Treatments Dr. Richard Houseman Assistant Professor of Entomology Division of Plant Sciences

Kansas IPM EducationOctober 2005

Termite TreatmentsTermite Treatments

Dr. Richard HousemanDr. Richard Houseman

Assistant Professor of EntomologyAssistant Professor of EntomologyDivision of Plant SciencesDivision of Plant Sciences

University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri


Termite Control Tactics

• Possible Strategies– Physical– Cultural– Biological– Chemical

• Wood Treatments• Soil Barriers• Baits


Cultural Controls

• Avoid wood-to-soil contact– Log piles against structures– Construction debris– Backfill/front stoop shouldn’t contain wood

• Moisture management– Drainage away from foundation– Gutters, downspouts well-maintained


Physical Control

• Barriers to tunneling– Sand, basalt, granite, glass, etc.

– Grain size of 2.0-2.8 mm.

– 20cm thick.

– Stainless Steel Mesh• Termi-Mesh

– Thick rubber mats

• Pre-construction only


Biological Controls

• Nematodes (Steinernema)

– Not effective against subterranean termites in field trials

• Fungi (Metarhizium)

– More successful than nematodes– Bio-Blast (Paragon Professional) – applied as a dust/WP

• Bacteria (Bacillus)– Has been studied, but not currently used


Chemical Controls

• Wood Treatments– Reduce feeding on structural wood– Pressure treatments or spray-on

• Products– BoraCare/Jecta (Nisus) www.nisuscorp.com

• disodium octaborate tetrahydrate

– Tim-bor (U.S. Borax) www.borax.com• disodium octaborate tetrahydrate


Chemical Controls

• Chemical Barriers– Applied to soil around structures– 4gal./10ft./1ft.depth– Restricted-use chemicals only

• Repellent vs. Non-repellent?


Why Soil Barriers?

• To protect areas of the structure where termites are likely to enter.










Subterranean Termite Control

• Repellent vs. Non-repellents?– Repellent (Pyrethroids)

• Termites detect and move away from treated soil• No mortality

– Non-repellent (Various)• Termites don’t detect treated soil and enter • Mortality results


1cm 5cm

T

Termiticide BioassaysTermiticide Bioassays


T

TT

Control

Experimental

Repellent Termiticide BioassaysRepellent Termiticide Bioassays


TT

Control

Experimental

Non-Repellent Termiticide BioassaysNon-Repellent Termiticide Bioassays



Termite Behavior AssaysTermite Behavior Assays

Nest

Food


Nest

Food

Repellent Barrier


Termiticides

• Repellent Barrier Products• Biflex TC (FMC) www.fmc-apgspec.com/

– bifenthrin; pyrethroid

• Demon TC (Zeneca) ecaprofprod.com/pest/– cypermethrin; pyrethroid

• Dragnet FT (FMC) www.fmc-apgspec.com/ – permethrin; pyrethroid

• Prelude (Zeneca) www.zenecaprofprod.com/pest/– permethrin; pyrethroid

• Prevail FT (FMC) www.fmc-agspec.com – cypermethrin; pyrethroid


Termiticides

• Repellent Barrier Products (cont’)• Talstar (FMC) www.fmc-apgspec.com/

– deltamethrin; pyrethroid

• Torpedo (Zeneca) www.zeneca.com/– permethrin; pyrethroid

• Prevail FT (FMC) www.fmc-agspec.com – cypermethrin; pyrethroid

• Tribute (AgrEvo) www.agrevo.com – fenvalerate; pyrethroid


Nest

Food

Non-Repellent Barrier


Termiticides

• Non-repellent Barrier Products• Premise 75 (Bayer) www.nobugs.com

– imidacloprid; chlorinated nicotine derivative

• Termidor 80 (Aventis) www.aventis.com– fipronil; phenyl pyrazole

• Phantom (American Cyanamid) www.basf.com– chlorfenapyr; pyrrole


Termidor PerimeterPLUS label

• Exterior perimeter – MUST Trench/rod along foundation wall– MUST Drill/rod adjoining slabs/patios

• PLUS– MUST treat active sites indoors (+2ft in at least two

directions).– MAY treat susceptible areas

• Original label directions for spot/partial/full treatments still valid


A

Termidor PerimeterPLUS label

A


Chemical Controls

• Managing Reticulitermes Using Baits – Just ‘killing the queen’ doesn’t work– Centers of activity change in habitat– Splitting colonies can occur using soil

termiticides– Termite baits seek to address colony

networks



Why Baiting?

• To reduce the number of subterranean termites in the vicinity of a structure.


Baiting Methods

Four basic methods have been examined:1. Monitoring stations followed by consumable

bait when termites are located

2. Consumable bait in stations prior to detection

3. Consumable bait at the site of infestation

4. Trapping followed by groomable coating applications and release back into station


Typical Baiting Sequence

In: Termites: Biology and Pest Management MJ Pearce. 1997.


Baiting Strategies

• Areas where foraging is likely– Temperature and moisture consistent– Food sources nearby– Active sites are best

• Do not want to disrupt foraging/feeding

• Distance between stations– Clustered stations


Baiting Systems

• Design considerations– Disturbance at station– Monitor integrity/acceptance– Type of active ingredient

• Palatability of active ingredient• Metabolism of active ingredient

– Bait matrix


Commercial Baits

• Sentricon (noviflumeron)

• Firstline (sulfluramid)

• Exterra (diflubenzuron)

• Subterfuge (hydramethylnon)

• Advance (diflubenzuron)

• Terminate (sulfluramid)


Sentricon


First Line


Exterra


Terminate


Thank you. Questions or Comments?

Documents

Kansas IPM Education October 2005 Termite Treatments Termite Treatments Dr. Richard Houseman Assistant Professor of Entomology Division of Plant Sciences