There area amount of termite treatments available, but which are the most cost sufficient and what works the best to stop termites in their tracks in Sydney, Australia?
In Sydney, the approved termite rehabilitation involves applying termiticide as a continuous barricade in the soil nearby the house, termite baits, installing continuous termite shields at the top of the foundation, and/or termite reticulation systems. Other termite treatments comprise termiticide foam, using crushed granite (trade name Granitgard) or steel mesh cloth (Termimesh) as a corporal barrier, moisture control, and wood elimination. A blend of methods are used for "integrated pest management," as many times a singular technique is not enough.
Termite Baits
Termite baits are a great indicator of the presence of termites and are an sufficient way to kill the colony causing the problem. Sentricon makes such a system. Fmc makes FirstLine, a termite baiting middle point using an insecticide stomach poison in a cellulose matrix. Fmc is modifying their product to join untreated stations that last longer than treated bait stations. The bait is a cellulose food treated with termiticide, a toxic substance and/or insect increase regulator. The food is wood or laminated-texture cellulose, which is favoured by termites. Termites eat the treated food and carry it back to the nest, reducing the size of the colony. The termiticide in the bait works moderately enough that termites have a occasion to go back to the nest instead of dying near the bait, because dead termites repel other termites.
It's not recommended by this firm as a standalone treatment, unless it is inevitable where the termites are advent from. Well settled baits are a frontline indicator of termite activity and often used to supplement soil barricade treatments. We prefer to use Termidor for termite treatments in most circumstances, as it is a low toxic alternative which termites range straight through treated areas at random and pick up poison to take back to the nest. Unlike high toxic repellents, it does not want a continuous barricade nearby your home. Termite baits may be used a supplement for sufficient termite control.
Why are termites a problem in Sydney?
Termites (often incorrectly called 'white ants') feed on wood and serve an leading function in nature by converting dead trees into organic matter. Unfortunately, the wood in buildings and other structures such as wooden power poles is equally appetising to termites, so they can cause serious damage which may be very costly to repair.
There are many species of termites in Australia, of which about 20 species can eat sound wood in buildings; those causing most damage to buildings are public insects that live in subterranean colonies that may comprise up to 200,000 individuals.
Bushland is a highlight within most suburbs of our most populous capital city, and many of these trees have been removed to make way for housing development.
In order to claim humidity and to safe themselves from ultimate weather conditions, a colony (or nest) of subterranean termites may be up to 6-7 metres below the soil covering and have widespread tunnel networks that can enlarge up to 100 metres from the nest.
How can buildings be protected against termites?
Control techniques for termites can essentially be divided into two types, stoppage and treatment. Prophylactic measures are really applied while the construction of new buildings, but some (eg. Stainless steel mesh, or a layer of granite chips) are not very convenient for existing buildings or structures.
Prevention of charge in Sydney, Nsw Australia
Building fabricate can sell out the chances of termite damage. leading strategies comprise reducing the amount of timber used in buildings, a properly designed concrete slab with edges exposed for inspection for termite activity, or provision for easy under-floor inspections of timber floors. Facility of a reticulated theory under the concrete slab can also to allow chemical barriers to be applied and re-applied whenever necessary.
Chemical barriers
Chemicals that are used to kill termites are called termiticides. Termiticides have differing modes of action, and some methods are used to apply them.
For many new buildings, creation of a termiticide-treated layer of soil surrounding and under the construction form an integrated barricade together with the corporal methods described above.
The termiticide is applied to the soil under the slab and nearby the footings, pipes, conduits and other structures of the house while construction to create a vertical barrier. Added loosened soil nearby the perimeter of the house, along with nearby all pipes and service facilities, is treated while and after construction to from a horizontal barrier.
Timber intended for use in the construction of houses, outbuildings, fences and other outdoor structures is often treated with chemicals by dipping and pressure or vacuum impregnation.
Treatment of Sydney infestations
Treatment of a termite infestation in an existing buildings in this area of Australia also requires an integrated approach, along with destruction of termites within the timber structures, measures to locate and destroy the termite nest, re-establishment of a chemical and/or corporal barrier, and quarterly inspections to detect any ongoing or new termite activity.
For existing buildings, where signs of infestation have been detected, chemical rehabilitation is ordinarily the best option for destroying termites and re-establishing a barrier.
Premise
Active Ingredient Imidacloprid a member of the relatively new class of chemicals called chloronicotinyls. It is used to create a barricade or treated zone in the soil where it attracts termites, which die within the treated zone.
Brand - Premise, from Bayer
Type - Chloro-Nicotinyl (an insect nerve inhibitor)
Toxicity - Rated S5. "Practically non-toxic" both oral and dermal.
Odour - This water-based insecticide is roughly odourless.
Longevity - The label claims "at least two years". Bayer suggest us that they are intending to re-label claiming 5 years.
Bayer's printed facts states "At Csiro test sites, Facility was sufficient for a minimum of 2 years with more than 6 years control perform at some sites. Trial work in infested buildings has shown that more than 90 per cent are still termite free 5-6 years after treatment.
Bayer also claim that Imidacloprid has some indirect colony control effect. In other words, it will kill termites without repelling them, and can have a negative effect on the health and numbers of any colony infesting the immediate area.
Biflex
Brand - Biflex Aqua from F.M.C.
Type - synthetic pyrethroid water based termiticide
Toxicity - Rated S6, oral - "slightly toxic", dermal - "practically non-toxic".
Odour - This water based termiticide is roughly odourless.
Longevity - the label claims "at least 10 years" when applied at maximum strength. In practical conditions nearby a typical home, due to water exposure, disturbance of orchad beds etc Stc recommends re-treatment each 5 years.
A characteristic of Bifenthrin is that it binds very quickly and strongly to the soil particles. This makes it a good option where moisture movement in the soil may be a factor. On the downside, for the same reason, it tends to be filtered out by the soil so that it will not seep straight through the soil and penetrate some target areas as well as a product like as Imidacloprid.
Termidor
Brand -Termidor from Basf
Active Ingredient Fipronil - Benzisothiazolin
Toxicity -Rated S6, oral-harmful if swallowed, dermal-may irritate skin, does not easily penetrate skin. Repeated exposure may cause allergic reaction.
Odour - has a minute vegetable oil smell.
Longevity - re-treatment each 5 years should be expected.
Termidor was launched in 2002 after some presentations from the Usa, where it is used extensively.
In Australia it was introduced shortly afterwards, quickly construction up a prestige as "the best" termiticide. This is because of claims made that it has strong indirect colony control effects. The effectiveness of Fipronil as a termiticide is beyond doubt. Fipronil is an very low toxic active insecticide. It is applied by spraying, trenching and soil rodding as a chemical soil barricade nearby existing structures, and may also be used to safe poles and fence posts.
Accordingly, A1 Pest control regards this product as "top of the range" and its cost prime is generally worthwhile on jobs where a continuous soil rehabilitation is unlikely to be achievable due to construction characteristics.
N.B. - A1 Pest control Pty Ltd cannot certify that colony control will occur, since this will depend on many factors along with the termite pressure nearby the singular areas treated. The best security is achieved by the formation of a continuous soil rehabilitation in conjunction with a ordinarily monitored termite baiting system.
Termite Treatments Used in Sydney, Australia
