1. Baiting Termites Chapter 5 Section III – Termite Control Basics of the Pest Bear & Affiliates Service Personnel Development Program 2005 Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

2. General Comments Baiting is a procedural tool used by Pest Control Operators as a method of pest control since the beginning of the industry. It is used extensively in the areas of rodent control; bird control; and cockroach control and in the 90’s became a tool for controlling subterranean termites. Before using a new control procedure,you should understand the concepts, principles, and techniques of the procedure. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

3. Understanding the Procedure (1) Subterranean termite biology and habits (2) The concepts of baiting (3) How the termiticides associated with baiting work (4) Baiting can be used as a “control tool” To understand the use of baiting as a control procedure for subterranean termites you need to have a thorough knowledge of : click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

4. Subterranean Termite Biology 1.Termites locate food supplies by foraging 2.Subterranean termites have a close association with moisture 3.Termites cover their feeding surface with mud tubing 4.Worker termites locate food and bring it back to the colony 5.Termites live in colonies and share foodstuffs Baiting can be used to control subterranean termites because of specific aspects of the termite’s biology: click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

5. Termites locate food supplies by foraging The workers in a subterranean termite colony go out in search of food or forage The difference between ant and termite foraging is that termites forage beneath the ground surface or within a hidden environment rather than on the surface. Termites are not readily visible Subterranean Termite Worker click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

6. When termites are foraging, they are looking for cellulose products: wood, roots, cardboard, paper, etc. By placing a preferred food source, usually yellow pine, in a subterranean location, a PCO provides effective bait for the foraging workers. Termites actively feeding on an introduced piece of wood is positive evidence of the presence of a subterranean termite colony. Termites locate food supplies by foraging click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

7. Subterranean Termites have a close association with moisture Subterranean termites require relatively high moisture content for their survival. Placement of bait in areas of high moisture enhances the probability of foraging termites coming in contact with the bait surface. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

8. Subterranean Termites have a close association with moisture The amount of bait presented is directly affected by moisture and temperature. Areas with standing water are not as active as areas on the perimeter of the standing water. Areas exposed to direct sunlight or excessive temperature are also not as attractive as dark, quiet places. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

9. Termites cover their feeding surface with mud tubing The subterranean termites live in a hidden environment and use the characteristic mud to conceal their presence. The mud protects the galleries from invasion and permits humidity control within the colony system. The presence of mud tubing is proof of a subterranean termite infestation. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

10. Worker termites locate food and bring it back to the colony Subterranean termites derive nourishment from cellulose digested with the aid of protozoa in their hind gut. The cellulose can be in the form of wood, paper, fabric, carpet backing or any product, which is a derivative of wood. The workers are the most common caste in the colony and they the majority of the damage. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

11. Worker termites locate food and bring it back to the colony The workers return to the colony with food. Workers feed on bait, the yellow pine, and transport the bait back to the colony. If the bait contains a termiticide, it too is transported back to the colony. The termiticide incorporated into the bait must be a very slow acting poison. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

12. Termites live in colonies and share foodstuffs For bait to be effective, it must deliver the toxic material to the target pest. Termites live in close confines of a colony and sharing the food brought to the colony provides a natural avenue for the introduction of treated foodstuffs. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

13. Termites live in colonies and share foodstuffs A termite colony may contain hundreds or thousands of individuals. They live in very close contact and actually share food brought back by the foraging workers. By using slow acting poisons, the toxicant can be dispersed throughout the entire colony and may eliminate the colony, if provided in adequate quantities. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

14. The Concepts of Baiting 1.When baiting for rodents, an attractant is blended with a rodenticide. 2.The rodent is attracted to the bait and eats it. 3.The rodent is killed by the rodenticide in the bait. 4.The same is true with cockroach and bird baiting. 5.The Toxicant is part of the bait The definition of a bait is “a substance used to entice, attract or lure a specific organism to a desired location”. By definition, baiting for termites is not baiting in the truest sense. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

15. The Concepts of Baiting 1.The bait, wood or cardboard, is placed in locations most likely to have subterranean termites foraging for food. 2.Then the termites find and feed on the wood, their presence is noted. 3.The characteristic mud tubing covering the surface of the bait provides evidence of an active foraging area. Baiting for subterranean termites changes the concept: click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

16. The Concepts of Baiting By placement of bait in strategic locations around structures, foraging activity can be noted. The change in conventional baiting techniques is derived by the use of the bait as a monitoring tool. The presentation of the termiticide comes after the presence of the foraging workers is determined, and presentation of termiticide only occurs when active foraging occurs. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

17. Controlling Termites with Baits The moisture source is usually the ground and the food source is usually the structure. Termiticides are applied in an attempt to repel, kill or deter the activity of the termites. Termiticides generally kill termites on contact and the residual action of the termiticide is critical to its success. Conventional subterranean termite control requires the placement of a chemical barrier between the ground and the structure. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

18. Controlling Termites with Baits Application of termiticides will most likely always be part of the arsenal of control procedures available to the Pest Control Operator, but the lose of the chlorinated hydrocarbons changed forever the total reliance on liquid applications for subterranean termite control. The newer products do not have the residual or repellant actions found in previous products and do not appear to have the control capabilities either. The changes in termite control products led to the development of termite baits. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

19. Controlling Termites with Baits Termite baits utilize a completely different technique. Termiticides are consumed by the foraging workers and transported back to the colony. The toxicant is transmitted to other members of the colony, with the hope that the entire colony will be destroyed. For bait to be effective,it must have a slow enough action to permit the transport back to the colony and distribution within the colony. The development of these slow acting termiticides has created a new concept in subterranean termite control. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

20. Using Baiting as a Control Tool Baiting as a control tool is more diverse than conventional subterranean termite control and provides for a variety of procedural approaches. The major emphasis is not on applying liquid pesticides but rather: 1.The placement of bait stations. 2.The frequency of inspection of the stations. 3.The development of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to subterranean termite control. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

21. Using Baiting as a Control Tool The key ingredient of any IPM program is the inspection. IPM of subterranean termites places an unparalleled emphasis on the importance of a proper inspection. The primary support tool for a subterranean termite IPM program is the property graph. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

22. Using Baiting as a Control Tool The property graph should present an accurate diagram of the structure and should graphically locate each bait station. The stations should be strategically placed in areas with the highest probability of termite infestation. It is important to graph those locations to permit returning to inspect the bait for termite activity. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

23. Using Baiting as a Control Tool 1.Areas around drains 2.Flower beds adjacent to the structure 3.Areas directly adjacent to bathrooms and other areas having plumbing entering the building 4.Any area which has slabs adjacent to each other These areas have a common denominator; they are areas with a potential for high moisture and structural access. Primary areas for baiting include: click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

24. Using Baiting as a Control Tool It is recommended the the stations be inspected at least once a month for the first three months and at least quarterly thereafter. The inspection of the stations is actually a monitoring program, and the frequency of inspection is dictated by termite activity. If termite activity is noted in a bait station, the termiticide- impregnated bait should be administered. Once the termiticide has been placed in the infested area, the stations should be monitored at least once each month until no more activity is noted. Bait stations should be inspected at regular intervals: click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

25. Using Baiting as a Control Tool Future subterranean termites control programs will focus more on IPM procedures than conventional treatment. Inspections will be more thorough and frequent. Termiticide applications will be limited to “spot treatments” with liquid or foam products and placement of termiticide- impregnated baits in perimeter locations. All these changes represent the trend towards: 1.More inspection and less treatment. 2.More knowledge and less physical labor. 3.More accurate record-keeping and closer follow-up procedures. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved

26. Conclusion The age of IPM for Subterranean Termite Control has arrived and will be the next revolution within the Pest Control Industry. Accurate placement of smaller amounts of pesticide and thorough inspections will be the norm not the exception. click Copyright @ 2005-2006, Central Fla Duplicating, Inc. All rights reserved