Termite and Wood Boring Insects - Termite Stations & Bait

Hello,
I had used the attractants and baits last Spring - Summer in my garden with partial success. According to the instructions, the wood attractants are placed in the stations and checked after one month. So afterwhich I checked them and found that the wood attractants were about 50% consumed and termites running all over it and then adding a bait next to the station at an angle according to instructions. After another month, I checked both the bait and the wood attractant and the bait was not touched and the attractant showed no further consumption and the termites were not visable. Something made them go somewhere else. I just repaired a wall in a first floor closet and saw the damage these buggers can do and had to replace the furring strips.

Last year, there was only one area in my garden where I found termites and this may be where their nest is. So I am looking for advice and perhaps a differant tactic to control or eliminate the termites. I already know their point of entry and treated both the inside and outside areas with "Premise" and sprayed "Timbor" on the joists and floor boards in the area of entry. So I think I am protected for a while at least. But I want to get rid of the outside nest. Your experiences will be appreciated.

Termite protection for homes is best done by a professional. The pros have access to chemicals and equipment that consumers do not. Bait stations tend not to be recommended as a stand-alone method for protecting homes from termites. There's a great chance that the termite will travel happily by the bait station to the home. With a professional termiticide treated that extends deep into soil on both sides of the foundation to create a barrier for termite control, homes stand a better chance against termites.

For termites in sheds and other structures on property and in stumps and fence posts, DIY control can be done.

http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/l-1785.html

Twelvepole,
It will be interesting to see this year if the termites show up as I feel I did as good a job in applying Premise both inside and outside last season. The only problem that I suspect is that I think the termites are coming into my property via my neighbors house. Their steps are up against the side of my house and I believe this is their entry point. I would have to drill through my foundation wall to get in under their steps. That is trespassing and I hesitate to do that. In the past, one of their hired contractors tried to install a pole on my property and I stopped him. Needless to say, my neighbors got mad over it.

I think row homes like mine are difficult to do because termites can enter a neighbors house, climb up a few feet and then enter your property through a crack, thereby bypassing the termite barrier.
Thats why I sprayed Timbor on the interior part of entry.

I am not impressed with the two professional exterminators that I hired. Neither of them did a through search for termite damage. Both wanted to treat the whole house and give a guarantee as long as I subcribed to a yearly maintenance agreement. I only needed a spot treatment as I know where they are coming in. But you do not get a guarantee with spot treatments. The last one I hired, did not have the correct tools to get into my steps as deep as I would have liked. He meekly stated that another employee had the correct tools. So I will do my own treatments.

Premise is a termiticide that usually only professionals use. In Australia you certinly would not be able to obtain it, and I know that in USA, the professionals often bemoan and curse Ebay for selling such products.
That said, if you have applied Premise correctly (and there must be some cause for speculation about that) its mode of action is such that acute poisoning will kill termites very quickly, however those that obtain sub-lethal doses, will return to the nest somewhat the worse for wear, where they will eventually die. Termites, by their very nature, having sealed colonies, can not afford to have dead relatives laying around, so they cannibalise them. The active ingredient Imidoclprid remains active and will eventually kill those that committed cannibalism etc etc (Thats the theory, the practicality has to be determined by the adequate application, and that may be using too much as well as too little Premise.)

By James D <Premise is a termiticide that usually only professionals use. In Australia you certinly would not be able to obtain it, and I know that in USA, the professionals often bemoan and curse Ebay for selling such product.>

James,
If they cry over it then let them clean up their business practices and show their customers that they are getting what they pay for and give guarantees on spot treatments.
For instance: Even when a homeowner knows the area of entry, they still insist on treating the whole property line to get a guarantee. This is an unnecessary expense. If termite damage is found in multiple areas of the property, then I can see having the serviceman treating the whole house.
The homeowner is at a disadvantage as to how much of the chemical is dispersed into the ground or whether or not it is of the proper strength. The homeowner is not told in advance of all the details of the proper procedures the serviceman will do to perform the job correctly and prove to him that the proper dose and amount of it is being dispersed.
In April of 2003, I had a spot treatment in the area of entry and in summer of 2005, the termites were back. This does not say much for the amount or type of chemical used.
Homeowners such as myself who are avid DIY do not give in to "What if scenerios" or scare tatics promoted by business's who want to do the whole house when only a small portion of it needs attention.

Rj, not going to get into an argument with you over the business practices of US pest controllers, as to some extent from the posts I read on other forums, many are not all that competent.
That said, the question of partial (spot) treatment or full treatment would depend upon a number of issues.
The main issue is the treatment history of the property.
If a repellant termiticide is used, a spot treatment will do just that. It will repell them, and they may (or may not) try another area to gain entry to your home. Not defending your previous pest controllers, but if they were aware that a repellent was used, they would have little choice but to do a complete treatment. BTW. Timbor is a repellant, Premise is non repellant.
If you had a porch or landing where you feel the termites may have entered, drilling and treating such areas, depends upon getting sufficient termiticide onto the soil/sand fill below the concrete. If that fill has subsided, the treatment will almost certainly be ineffective. Foaming would then be the most viable option.
Premise now have an aerosol foam that can be applied to small jobs.

James D,
I pulled out my receipt from the last professional termite treatment and as best as I can make out the spelling is called "Piprinal or Fiprinal". This was for a spot treatment done in April/2003. Do either of these words resemble any chemical used for termites?

Fiprinal is most likely Termidor.
Now that is interesting as Termidor is a non repellant and the professional forums I post on suggest it is almost fail proof.
If your ministrations and those of a licenced pest controller have not worked to date, I think you really may need to recruit another pest contol firm. Dont use your large national companies. Although I have no first hand experience with them, even in Australia, the biggies donr seem to provide service or satisfaction.
Talk to them, get a handle on whether you think they know what they are talking about.
BTW. if a client in OZ asked me to do a spot treatment, I would suggest they go find another firm. My reputation hinges upon the success of my work, and no matter what a client thinks will suffice, my knowledge and experience are what they engage me for (any one can spill chemical on the ground or in holes). Its the depth of the trenches, the positioning and spacing of holes and going those few extra yards.

James D,
I agree that small business's are the way to go because usually you are dealing directly with the owner who can't afford not to do the job right. Problems occur when only an employee shows up to do the work. The employee may be working under an incentive to take shortcuts to do the job thereby enhancing his compensation by his employer by doing more jobs then expected. I believe this is prevalent in urban neighborhoods like mine where it is impossible to treat row homes (Homes attached on both sides) as well as singles because as mentioned before, a neighbor can have termites that can travel up their wall until they find a crack, enter and then get into your property thereby bypassing the barrier that was installed in the basement perimeter of my house.
I believe I am doing the right thing by doing it myself even if my work is no better then hiring someone else.