May 2005 / Vol.2 / Issue 5

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

Contents

1. Pest Talk
2. Customer Question of the Month.
3. Quote of the Month.
4. Monthly Special

Pest Talk

The following information that we are about to share with you cannot be found in any textbooks or anywhere else on the internet just yet. We came across the information through word-of-mouth. Our source however, is fairly reliable. We have been led to believe that soon, new research papers will be released with the full details about some new discoveries on termite behaviour. Discoveries that help to explain some of the mysteries that have left many a pestie baffled and amazed at the resilience of termites trapped within a building.

Here it is. Something many pesties have suspected but were never able to prove...

It is thought that the soldier termites of some species are able to change their form and become a Queen when certain conditions are met. This is thought to occur in just a few different types of termite species including Schedorhinotermes, a well known cause of major damage to homes. It could very well explain the ability of this termite species to readily form sub-nests in new territory. It would also explain why practical evidence has shown that if you trap termites in a building they sometimes seem to be capable of surviving and developing a new nest within the building if optimum conditions are found.

One of the conditions that subterranean termites need is a ready source of moisture. Normally moisture is retrieved from the soil of the earth. But in a home it can be found in bathroom areas behind shower walls or laundry walls. These walls are more prone to contain high moisture content, the result of leaking plumbing fittings or shower floors.

We have inspected 1000's of homes in the past 16 years and one of the most common problems we come across in more than 90% of homes is high moisture content around the lower part of the shower recess. We are talking about moisture that is retained inside the timber inside the walls. Clearly, it is a good policy to ensure that your showers are properly sealed against leaks and loss of moisture. There are many companies out there that seal showers, so a word of warning. Don't take the cheapest quote because our experience has shown that it's probably a waste of money. We guess it goes without saying that a quality job will always cost a little more.

Returning to the original topic, we would like to point out an important issue that this new research highlights. If you have termites in your home, and a traditional repellent perimeter barrier treatment is placed around the home, there is a chance that the termites in the home may become trapped. If trapped, they may survive and develop a new nest within the house. They will not come in contact with the outside perimeter barrier spray again, because it is actually repelling them and trapping them in the house.

On the other hand, if the termites inside the house are first treated with a product such as Intrigue® then these very termites will travel back and forth to the nest transferring the Intrigue® dust, eventually leading to the destruction of the whole nest. That is, killing all the termites including the ones in your house. If a perimeter barrier spray is then put in place after this form of treatment, termites will no longer be trapped in the house. The only drawback with this type of treatment is that it takes time to work (at least 6 weeks) and most people are not patient enough to allow the termiticide to succeed. That's too bad really, because to please the customer's impatience, many pesties compromise on the best methods and go for the quick fix (and often costly fix) when in fact they should spend more time convincing the customer to do the job right and not rush it.

There are two excellent products on the marketplace that create a treated zone rather than a barrier, although their labels call the zone a barrier. These products are Termidor® and Premise®. Because these products are non-repellent when applied at the label rates, termites that are in the house will generally return through the treated zone to the nest and subsequently die. However it is possible that the trenching that precedes the application of these termiticides to the outside perimeter of the home might in fact trap termites in the house, once again leading to the possibility of a nest forming in the home.

Our advice is that whenever termites are found within a house there should always be an attempt to use a product such as Intrigue® (a transferable termiticide) on the termites first before any perimeter treated zones are applied to the perimeter. Termite treatments that are two step processes are generally more effective than trying to wipe them out in just one big and expensive hit.

Once again there is no doubt that a termite baiting system is a wonderful way to reduce the risk of termites getting into your home in the first place. Why do we say wonderful? Because compared to traditional methods it is low-cost, effective, extremely low toxic, environmentally friendly and safe for family, pets and local wildlife. It simply makes sense.

A good termite baiting system will complement other termite control measures and help to reduce the overall risk of further termite damage to a home. Your car has a seatbelt. Some also have an airbag or two. It's worth having the extra protection to reduce the risk of injury if you have an accident. Termites won't kill you, but they can make an unpleasant dint in your bank account. We liken a termite baiting system to an airbag in a car. You hope you don't need it, but it's nice to have it there in case you do.

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Customer Question of the Month.

Question:

Hi Jerry,

Just a quick question. We noticed that when you converted our baits from plugs to windows that some of them have a white appearance under the window and others don't. Why is this?

Cheers,

Geoff -- Labrador .

Answer.

When we attached the windows to the existing baits we used a glue called Weldbond®. When it is applied it is white in colour and then it dries clear. Some of the baits are positioned in dry areas where they do not get affected by rain or moisture in general, and on these windows the glue has been able to dry completely. Consequently, the windows are perfectly clear.

However a lot of the existing baits are in areas where there is high moisture content in the soil, and because the baits are made from radiata pine they are readily able to absorb the moisture. This is one of the reasons why foraging termites find the Green Termite Bait particularly attractive. Sometimes the moisture in the bait comes through the holes and can then be seen as condensation (dew) on the inside of the window. The moisture also affects the glue which then returns to its original white colour. The glue does not go soft nor does it lose any of its strength. Weldbond® is labelled "suitable for outdoor use".

Some people have also asked, 'How is it possible to see termite activity through the window when it is covered in condensation?' The answer is simple. If there is condensation under the window, then there are no termites in that particular window. The reason for this is because termites will absorb all the condensation if they are in the bait window themselves. As we have said many times, termites have a strong desire to find and locate moisture. Moisture is what attracts termites, not timber.

One final thing. If you have condensation in the window on a regular basis and suddenly you don't have condensation, that does not necessarily mean that there are now termites in the window. It could simply mean that conditions inside the bait have now sufficiently dried out enough that there is no longer enough moisture in the timber itself to cause the condensation. The condensation will probably return once the ground gets wet again from local rain or general watering.

Quote of the Month.

This accurred after we answered the phone:

Lady Customer: "Can you get rid of a rat?"

Us: "Certainly, is it in your roof?"

Lady Customer: "No, he just left for work 10 minutes ago! Ha ha ha..." click.

Well, that's one way to let your anger and frustration out!

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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 2005 Green Termite Bait Systems & Green Pest Control. All rights reserved.

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