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The EXTERRA Termite Bait System - what are your options?

Extensive field trials clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the EXTERRA Termite Baiting system for termite control in USA and Australia in certain specific circumstances.
Live termite activity found? Termite baits should be used where live termite activity is found within a building or surrounds. The EXTERRA Termite Bait stations (with the EXTERRA termite bait inside) is attached directly onto such LIVE termite activity sites.
Readily consumed if found The EXTERRA Termite Bait is made of cellulose ingredients that termites readily consume. The consumed termite bait is spread to other termites in the central colony nest resulting in the eventual elimination of the entire termite colony.
CONSUMER NOTE: Some unscrupulous pest controllers offer a termite baiting program even though NO live termites have actually been are found. Please note: Termites are blind and MAY by chance find the termite bait stations BUT obviously your home is a much bigger target than little plastic "bait stations" in the ground around the building.
Many consumers are duped into believing that the termite bait stations contain the chemical bait in the "termite bait stations". This often is NOT the case. In addition such so called monitoring or termite preventive service MAY result in the termites severely damaging the building and not coming into contact with the "baiting station".

In some cases EXTERRA Termite Baiting is your best option

We recommend the EXTERRA Termite Baiting system be used in and around a building as part of an integrated termite control and monitoring program, where (1) a complete chemical treated soil barrier using Termidor or Premise is not practicable or desired and (2) where several thousand termites are most likely to consume the EXTERRA Termite Bait, within 30 days, that is, live termite activity site is found.

EXTERRA Termite Bait - designed for termite colony elimination

Benefits If LIVE termite activity is found and sufficient termite bait is consumed then EXTERRA Termite Baits is highly likely eliminate the entire termite colony. Of course other termite nests MAY bypass the "monitoring" stations and infest a nearby building.
Follow-up Inspections is required by the termite control company to see if termites have found the "bait station" and thereafter how much termite bait has been consumed and thereby assess the likelihood of successful termite colony elimination.

Health, Safety & Environmental Concerns

Low hazard product EXTERRA Termite Bait is very low toxicity to you, your family, your dog or cat and the environment. The chemical used is less toxic than common table salt and is placed in tamper-resistant plastic stations.
Environmentally sensitive EXTERRA Termite Baits may be the best "stand-alone" option in environmentally sensitive situations, such as, if a termite infested building or structure is closeby a waterway and a soil barrier treatment may contaminate the waterway.
Avoids drilling of concrete EXTERRA Termite Baiting system is often used where it is not practical or desired by the home-owner to drill expensive parquetry or floor tiles in order to apply a complete and continuous proper chemical treated soil barrier at the base of the building to prevent subterranean termite entry into the building.

How EXTERRA Termite Baiting works?

exterra-temite-baits
EXTERRA Termite Bait is designed for use in and around a building under attack from termites.
Termite aggregation - assuming the termites find the termite bait stations - the aim is to successfully "aggregate" as many termites as possible and then to feed them the termite bait.
Termites are blind - the potential for termites to "find" a bait station is not yet fully understood or appreciated. Subterranean termites seek out new food sources largely on a random basis but research tells us the termites may be guided by environmental circumstances, such as their movement along a reliable moisture source - along an automated watering system.

A Matter of Skill and Judgment

 

Each case is different The skill and judgment of the professional termite controller is paramount to accurately determine the likelihood of sufficient termites finding and consuming the bait.
Be careful in your selection of a professional termite control company - be sure to read our Consumer Advice section on selecting a pest controller.
How should the EXTERRA Termite Baiting System be implemented?

(1) Firstly ... a professional inspection and assessment should be carried out by a competent termite control specialist to formulate a termite control program to best suit the particular circumstances of the building. It is important to determine the termite species, the extent of timber damage and risk of further such damage to the building.


(2) Written recommendations to the property-owner should then be provided by the termite controller as to a termite control program, including exactly where the EXTERRA Termite Bait Stations should be placed in and around a building in order to accumulate the maximum number of termites in the bait stations, to thereafter consume the termite bait and maximize the prospect of successful termite colony elimination.
(3) Placement of the EXTERRA Termite Bait Stations next to any termite activity found during the inspection and in other likely areas of termite activity. This is where the skill and experience of the termite controller is critical.
The EXTERRA Termite Bait Stations are checked regularly by the termite controller for evidence of termite activity. A hand-held computer and bar code scanner may be used to record data about the EXTERRA Termite Baiting program.
(4) Termites MAY enter the EXTERRA Termite Bait Stations and feed on the timber in the stations. As noted above this may NOT occur and instead the building is subject to termite infestation and major structural time damage. To make matters worse the standard Home Insurance Policy does NOT cover termite damage to timbers.
(5) EXTERRA Termite Bait is added to the termite bait station minimising disturbance of the termites. If the termites are shaken up trhey may abandon the location entirely.
(6) Termites feed on the termite bait and take it back to the central colony nest where it is spread to other termites, evewn the Queen termite as part of their mutual grooming and feeding habit.

(7) The EXTERRA Termite Bait Stations are said to be used thereafter to "monitor" any further termite activity and are often left in place even after the existing attack on your property has been eliminated.


Consumer note It is important in any termite control program, due to the secretive nature of termites, to have regular inspections of the building and any termite bait stations in strategic locations around the building.
Correct identification of a destructive termite species, inspection of a building for tell-tale signs, analysis of your circumstances and the design and implementation of an effective program for the protection of a building from termite infestations, requires expert skill and judgment based upon professional training and extensive field-work experience in termite control in a wide variety of circumstances.

How much does it cost?

The cost of an EXTERRA Termite Baiting program will depend on the size of the subject building, the extent of the infestation, the risk of further attack and on-going termite activity and other environmental factors.
Do NOT attempt do-it-yourself termite control ... leave it to the experts.

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