Termites or white ants can cause some severe property damage. It can be dangerous if you don’t identify the infestation in time. This pest doesn’t harm our health like mosquitoes, rats, or bedbugs, but it can eat most of the houses’ structural parts inside out. The difference between the carpenter ants and termites is the way they wood. Termites will eat the wood, while ants will only burrow it for their nests or colonies. Whether it’s termites or ants, it’s a loss for us.
Although termites cannot be entirely exterminated after a full-fledged infestation without professional pest control help, you can try some methods. Some methods are more effective than others. And if you are committed to getting rid of those termites on your own, try these DIY methods.
1. Termite Bait Stations
Most people think termite bait stations are a waste of time. They can be if you don’t know how to use them effectively. Termite bait stations work well if you know how to use them. The capsule-looking bait station for termites can vary in size depending on the manufacturer. But it is meant to go inside the ground near the foundation of your house. Think of it as a close proximity network where you don’t want to let any of the termites escape. Set the traps well, use as many stations as possible and then see the magic.
2. Use Treated Timber always
If you are getting any new furniture, make sure it is made from chemically treated wood. And never risk buying second-hand furniture without getting it inspected for the pest. Because once any piece of termite-infested furniture comes into your house, it can expand quickly and cause more damage. Treated wood is commonly used in structural parts of houses. Make sure there is the right chemically treated wood for those parts and look for a new house.
3. Use Liquid-Based Termiticides
If you cannot find a local pest control expert, your best bet is to use liquid-based termiticides. Termiticides are more specific pesticides that can directly target the termites while not causing any harm to your pets or young kids. Like the bait stations, these termiticides will work best if you use them correctly. That is near the foundation of your house and other structural parts. Make sure you pour the termiticide well into the soil and then wait for them to disappear.
4. Use Foam Termiticides
This one is a straightforward method of treating termites. This is the method where you can get the closest to a professional pest control expert. For using foam termiticide, you will need an applicator and some steady hands. Using the applicator, you can directly fill the services and small cracks with the foam. You can get it done more effectively. The foam method works well with termites and is a must-try if you want to get rid of the termites.
Wood and the plant’s roots are the favourite foods for termites. Unlike ants, termites don’t have to go foraging in their homes and outside. They find their favourite cellulose-based diet directly from the wood and the soil.
If you are a homeowner and come across some structures that indicate you may have a termite infestation, quickly contact your local professional pest control experts. Sometimes, identifying termite infestation in a garden setting is impossible until there is an entire infestation. But there are ways you can deal with pesky termites. Not that you can exterminate them in case of an infestation but doing something is better than not doing anything.
Here are some ways to get rid of termites in plants.
1. Use beneficial Nematodes
If you have heard of them already, you know what they do. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms and can kill pests amazingly fast. They quickly get into the host’s body and release their gut poison that makes these termites and other insects bleed to death. Using beneficial nematodes is one of the most effective natural methods to eliminate your garden termites.
2. Keep The Moisture To The Minimum
Moisture is the ideal condition for termites to live, feed, and breed. Termites can carry on with their lives easier when there is moisture around. Our gardens are usually full of moisture and moisture-causing objects. Sometimes there is stagnant water which houses termites and brings in mosquitoes. If your house’s wood structures are in contact with the soil, ensure that wood is treated with chemicals to stop the termites in their tracks.
3. Use Boric Acid
Boric acid is widely available in powder form. Some stores even have the already-prepared solution of boric acid that can come in handy to treat pests such as termites. If you are worried about termites’ infestation in the plants, make a boric acid solution and put it inside a sprayer. Take proper precautions while preparing the solution. Once the solution is ready, spray it on the areas infested with termites.
4. Use Bait Stations
If the plants in your garden are at risk from termites, you can also use this very effective method to eliminate them. Bait stations work well with termites’ infestation if used effectively. You can set up the baits under the soil near your plants. The bait station should be baited with some non-toxic food items to attract the termites, and there should also be poison in it to kill them. You don’t have to worry about all this composition because most store-bought bait stations come with all the instructions and necessary accessories.
5. Use Professional Help
If everything fails, you can call the nearest pest control team. They have all the experience, skills, expertise, and instruments you don’t have. Obviously, you don’t have to deal with pests. It’s not your job. So, why not let the best pest control experts come and give you a visit?
The Take-Away
Sometimes when we use DIY methods for treating pests, be it from our home or garden, we forget how far we have come. The more time we take to figure out the best approach to deal with the pest, the more infestation occurs. Eventually, we end up with a heavy infestation and call the professional pest controllers. If you think you can do it on your own right from the start, only then go for it.