February 2008 / Vol.5 / Issue 2

Hello and Welcome to the February Greenpest News. Each month we aim to provide you with some useful information, keeping it short, sweet and pertinent.

Contents

1. Pest Talk - Why we don't advise checking the baits every second or third month.
2. Elaborating on the "Three Nest Theory".
3. Customer Question of the Month.
4. Monthly Special.

Pest Talk

One of the questions we are frequently asked by our full service customers is “Can the Green Termite Bait System be checked every second or third month rather than every month?”

The answer is absolutely not, for two major reasons.

Firstly, the individual Green Termite Baits have a timber mass specifically designed to last 4 – 8 weeks upon discovery by a well established termite colony.   During the first week or two that the termites are in the bait they usually don't show up in the bait windows; obviously because they haven’t reached the termite tubes below the windows yet.  Sometimes when we check the bait, the termites have only just reached one of the windows. We call that instance a ½ strike and wait a further month (the inspection cycle) until it becomes a full strike.  Upon return, there is usually enough timber still left in the bait for an effective application of termiticide.

However, if the inspection was every two months, then there is a much higher chance of not having enough timber in the bait left (if any at all) for a successful application of termiticide to the active termites. That would be a complete waste of a bait and more importantly, a missed opportunity to destroy the nest.

Unfortunately, this frequently happens with DIY customers who don’t make a point of regularly checking their baits once a month, so, DIY customers take note: It’s vital you check your baits every month.  Don’t procrastinate because it can cost you dearly.  Take 10 minutes and DIN.  Do it now if it's been more than a month since you last checked.

If perchance you have lost a whole bait, then simply replace it.  In a few weeks the termites will usually return because they already have some underground leads (tunnels) established to the bait’s location. 

We shall digress a little before continuing.

The reason we don’t normally treat ½ strikes immediately is twofold:

• Firstly, we want the termites to firmly establish themselves in the bait – greater numbers means greater chances of success.
• Secondly, our unique treatment method requires a low pressure circulation of the termiticide dust throughout the bait, and to do this we need an entry and exit point for the dust.  It is the termites that create the connection between the two holes (termite tubes) below the windows.

Termidor Dust® (the preferred product) is applied to the termite galleries inside the timber bait, as well as the leads connected to the bait.  This circulation process is one of the main features of the Green Termite Bait System that sets it apart and above the competition.  The active galleries and leads can be treated in their unbroken state with minimal disturbance to the many termites coming and going as they feed on the timber and the termiticide inside the bait.

Click here to see an example.

The more leads and galleries there are to treat, the better the bait works.  We know we have an optimum number of galleries when both windows in the bait are active, that is, when mud can be seen in both windows.

Occasionally the mud is a little hard to spot if it is not directly under the window or if there is reflected light on the window so check carefully.

Okay, the second reason why our full service clients can’t opt to be checked every other month is due to our all-inclusive price structure.  Full service clients have a life time service warranty on their bait system whilst they remain as full service clients.  The service warranty includes free maintenance of the baits (keeping them clear of grass, weeds, dirt and junk that may cover them from month to month), free replacement of the baits after treatments or when they are past their serviceable life or need repair, plus free upgrades when available.  It also includes free application of termiticide to the baits regardless of whether there is one strike or a dozen.  Plus we update the customer service history book, a valuable tool which is worth its weight in gold when it comes time to sell the home, and just as importantly we keep internal records of all termite activity associated with each customer’s baiting system.  All of these processes take time and effort for which we are compensated through our service plans.  Actually calling out to check the baits is only a small part of our operational costs which don’t halve simply by halving the number of times we check the baits each year.  For example:

• 30 baits will still need replacing (for free) in 3 – 5 years whether we check them once a month or once every two months.
• Finding baits that are overgrown with grass or weeds is twice as hard when the grass has two months to grow over the bait and not just one.
• Some of our full service customers have multiple strikes on their baits over several months, especially in summer.  Often these strikes are nothing more than non-home-threatening tiny garden termites (microcerotermes).  Still, the baits need to be treated and later replaced.  Termidor dust is very expensive.  When there are a lot of active baits on a property we take a loss which is absorbed and off-set by later profits once the termite activity around the property is bought under control.

In summary, it’s important to check the baits monthly so as not to miss the best opportunity to destroy a termite nest at the optimal time when it is full of hungry termites.  If inspections were every second month, then (as we mentioned earlier) baits are going to be wasted, opportunities missed.  Secondly, finding the baits and maintaining them would be more difficult, hence more costly.  These factors would increase the cost of servicing the baits and would absorb the savings made by reducing the service to every other month.

One final note:  If perchance you are on a tailor made service contract with one of our national distributors and they only service your baits every second or third month, it’s vital that you check your baits yourself during the alternate months and contact them for service if you find a bait with a full strike in both windows.

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Elaborating on the "Three Nest Theory"

Last month we promised to elaborate on the following statement:

We estimate that there are at least three termite nests within striking distance of the majority of homes within Australia.

This hypothesis is reasonably drawn from data gathered over 11 years of bait checking, 20 years of termite management as well as the personal experience of several seasoned termite managers.

Firstly, it should be noted that we are saying “three nests within striking distance”, not “three nests in every yard”.  A typical nest of a major termite species such as Schedorhinotermes spp has a range from 50m to 100m (depending on which texts you refer to).  If a large Schedorhinotermes nest is located in a suburban area it could well be within reach of at least 8 homes.  Even more, if this particular species’ propensity to make multiple sub-nests is factored in.

The following example clearly demonstrates how a single termite colony can be attacking more than one home at a time. About five years ago we conducted a termite inspection in Coolangatta for a retired lady (Let’s call her Mrs A).  The roof was riddled with termite damage, yet not a single live termite could be found.  Mrs A had not done anything to kill the termites.  No treatments had been implemented since the home was built and the initial new home treatment was plainly worthless as proven by the extensive damage throughout the roof.  It turned out that both of her neighbours had also suffered similar damage six months earlier and had their homes successfully treated.  It not only solved their problem but also killed the termites in Mrs A’s home.  She was still left with a lot of damage and subsequent devaluation on her property, but at least the termites were dead, for the time being.

How prevalent are termites?  95% of our full service customers have a strike on one of their baits within the first year.  Of those who have a strike 70% have more than one strike and 30% have more than 5 strikes.  These statistics clearly demostrate that there is considerable termite activity around the majority of homes that we service.

Other evidence in support of three nests minimum hypothesis is drawn from the fact that about half of the termite activity we find in the Green Termite Bait System is from a very common species called Microcerotermes spp.  These are small colonies of tiny termites that pose only a minimal risk to homes.  However, these termites are prolific and can easily set up a nest in any small piece of timber including a bait station.  At some homes, during the summer months we can get as many as 6 or 7 strikes of Microcerotermes.  These native garden termites are more a nuisance than a threat.  Their skinny little mud trails can often be seen on timber fence palings.  It will take them a long time to do any serious damage to the fence, but if you are selling your home, you may find that they’ll do serious damage to your wallet!  Many termite inspectors will point out these innocuous termite trails in a pest report and declare the home at high risk of termite attack thus frightening the purchaser away or forcing the owner to conduct expensive termite treatments before the home can be sold. If you live in bushland or have lots of mulch around your home you can also expect to find lots of Microcerotermes nests present.

Further evidence that supports our hypothesis is that most termite experts, given enough time, can find some evidence of live termites or termite activity around 95% of the homes they check during pre-purchase reports.  Having some termites in your yard is far more common than most people are aware.  Termites are hidden from sight, rarely seen by the average home owner simply because termites are predominantly subterranean, and for the unwary, out of sight means out of mind.

The Green Termite Baiting System alerts you to termites travelling underground towards your home and provides a means to destroy their nest before they do major damage.

We also asked several of our colleagues within the termite industry what they thought of our ‘minimum three nest theory’ and the consensus was that three was probably too conservative and several thought it was possibly much higher.

The reason why there are no hard facts is because termite nests are very hard to find.  Also, many termite species have subnests that can survive even when the main nest is destroyed.  Termites are survivors and although the individual workers are a primitive insect, their colonies are indeed highly sophisticated.

Another interesting occurrence is that on occasion we have found four different species of termites on a single property during an inspection:

• A Nasutitermes nest in the fork of a tree,
• Some Microcerotermes on the fence palings,
• Some Schedorhinotermes in the retaining wall,
• And some Coptotermes in an old stump.

Any termite expert will tell you that it is fairly common to find more than one species on a property during a termite inspection.

So there you have it; a whole bunch of reasons why we believe that there are a least three termites nests with-in striking distance of the average Australian home.

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Customer Question of the Month.

Question:

Hi Jerry,

My neighbour uses a different bait system to me. I believe it’s called Exterra. Apparently the termites eat a special bait mix that is added to the station when it gets termites. Do the termites also eat the Termidor Dust when it is added to my Green Termite Baits? Which is better? I’m just curious so I’d appreciate a reply if you have time.

Samuel F JINDALEE QLD

Answer:

Thank you Samuel for a great question.  This will be a lengthy reply because I'm sure others will be interested too and I’d like to post the answer in our next newsletter.

Termidor Dust® is 99.5% alpha-cellulose and .5% Fipronil which is the active ingredient that kills the termite.  Alpha-cellulose is completely edible for termites and our tests have shown that the termites eat all of the Termidor dust that is applied to an active Green Termite Bait.  Our sister company Green Pest Control collects all of the treated baits from their full service customers.  These baits are examined so that we can collect data on the success rates of the baits.  (Editor’s note: We hope to print some of this data in next month’s newsletter.)

Termidor dust is coated with a florescent dye that can be seen with a black-light (ultra-violet) similar to those used in a bank.  Because the dust is very fine, examination needs to be done in a dark room with the black-light.  Upon examination, we can clearly see that the termites are consuming all the dust, the alpha-cellulose along with the .5% Fipronil.  In fact it’s virtually impossible to find much of the dust left in a bait at all.  No doubt the dust is being greedily taken up by the termites that visit the bait.

These termites then transfer the dust to other termites through trophallaxis (the sharing of food by regurgitation) as well as by other means such as grooming and inadvertent body contact. When you consider that just 15 nanograms (.000 000 015) of Fipronil is needed to kill a termite, you can understand how a little goes a long way.  Theoretically that means that just ½ gram of the dust is enough to kill 166,666 termites!  (For the math wizards, that is .5% of .5 divided by .000 000 015)
To add even more oomph, it’s worth considering that termites cannibalise their dead, so it’s possible that the Fipronil that kills one termite may also kill the termites that cannibalise it and the ones that cannibalise them and so on.

Moreover, the Queen termite lays some 1,000 eggs per day and is no doubt ‘priority fed’ as are the juveniles in the nest.  Once some Termidor is passed onto them they are doomed, as is the nest, for without a Queen and new recruits to carry on the work, the colony has little chance of survival.  (Note: In some very rare circumstances a new nest might replace the old.  We will discuss this rarity in next month’s newsletter.)

Termidor Dust kills the termite via the nervous system and the colony is eliminated or incapacitated in around  2 – 4 weeks.

On the other hand, (and to answer the second part of your question) the Exterra® bait matrix contains an IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) which will also eliminate a nest over a period of time – the active is either diflubenzuron or chlorfluazuron depending on which country you are in.  Pest controllers who use it report that it can often take several months before a colony is eliminated.  This is affected by which termite species is attacking the bait, the size of the colony and most importantly, the time of the year.
For example, in Canberra it gets very cold during the winter months and termites that may be highly active in the home during the summer months may not be in the home during the winter months at all – it’s simply too cold for them to venture that far from their nest because they can’t maintain the required warmth and humidity they need to survive.  Sometimes the termites are only found in the north facing wall that gets the sun and only during the middle of the day.  Termites are tropical insects so they don’t like the cold which is why Tasmania and New Zealand (and cold countries around the world) are pretty much free of high risk termite species.

Cold weather can handicap a bait system (like Exterra) using an IGR that requires an extended period of feeding.  It’s frustrating for both the pest controller who is trying to eliminate the colony and the home owner that wants results sooner than later.

Another reason why IGR’s are considered slow is that some scientists claim that it will only kill the Queen termite when it is time for her to moult, which may only be once or twice a year during the summer months.  However this doesn’t take into account that the Queen may be incapable of producing fertile eggs once she is incapacitated by the IGR. Consequently, she may be killed and removed by her workers now that she is no longer able to carry out her natural duties.  The IGR may also prevent them from generating a new fertile Queen so one way or another, given enough time the colony is most likely doomed.

There are a whole bunch of other reasons why we believe that Green Termite Bait System (working with Termidor Dust) is superior to other bait systems.  These reasons are listed here and here on our web site.

At this point in time Termidor Dust is only available in Australia.  Americans have never come to grips with the clever method of termite dusting which was first developed here in Australia early in the 20th century by W.A. Flick.  In many ways Australian research (both independent and via the CSIRO) continues to lead the world in developing superior termite management products and strategies.

Cheers,
Jerry

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How widespread is termite damage?

Click here for an interesting link to a Time Magazine article on termites in the USA.

Termites in the Sub-Floor

5 weeks ago our sister company Green Pest Control called out to a house with some termite activity showing up on the brick work in the sub-floor. There wasn't enough activity for a direct treatment with Termidor dust, so 5 Green Termite Baits were set up as well as some feeding areas comprising of radiata pine off-cuts drilled with Ec2c Termite Windows added, then packed in peat moss against the active leads.

Returning 4 weeks later, there was lots of activity in the baits as well as the feeding areas. It was possible to carry out a thorough treatment using Termidor Dust.

Here are the photos:

You can see the thin lead that was initially discovered by the home owner just above the timber that was used to accumulate the termites.

This close-up shows the termites mudding the timber as well as inside the Ec2c Termite Window.

One of the three baits that were active with Coptotermes spp out of the five that were installed.

Excess water and clay make ideal conditions for termites. The termite tube coming up from the bait is extremely unusual.

In this photo you can see the mud in the Ec2c Termite Windows.

In four weeks a return visit will be made to the site to check and see if the termites are still active. About 3 - 4 grams of Termidor dust was used for the entire job with every confidence that it will be successful.

We will inform you of the outcome in next month's newsletter.

Upcoming News

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The Greenpest News is Published by J & A Furnell Nominees P/L; Shop 23a Franklin Square, 60 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of Jerry Furnell. The reader is encouraged to seek further information from appropriate government and statutory departments before taking any action based on this material alone.

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See you again next month.

Always... At your service,

Jerry Furnell
Green Pest Control & Green Termite Bait Systems.
Phone 1800 6 12345.

Copyright 2008 Green Termite Bait Systems & Green Pest Control. All rights reserved.

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