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All Natural - Idaho

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~ Treatment Flaws of Termiticides ~
~ Treatment Flaws of Nematodes ~
~ Treatment Flaws of Baiting ~
~ Why Works! ~

Termites are soft-bodied, ground-dwelling social insects that live in colonies. These insects move their colony up and down in the soil to find optimal temperature and moisture regimes. Unlike most other insects, termites can feed on wood because they have protozoans in their gut that digest cellulose, the basic component of wood. From their nests in the soil, they reach wood or cellulose materials above the ground by making mud tubes. Termites travel inside the tubes between their nest and their food (i.e., the wood inside YOUR HOUSE).

Subterranean termites are destructive wood-eating insects and cause home-owners frustration and expense when active nests are found in their houses. This can be especially troublesome when selling a home because lending institutions (banks, savings and loans, FHA, VA) require houses certified to be termite free before lending money to home buyers. Presence of an old infestation or damage that has been treated should not require the home be retreated.

   

Because subterranean termites nest in the soil and need protection from the elements when they invade your house, they build mud tubes over exposed foundations and travel through these tubes to wooden structures in your house. The presence of these dried mud tubes is solid indication that you may have a termite infestation in your house. Because of the shorter distance from the ground to the wood framing, houses (or parts of homes) that are built on a concrete slab provide easier access for termites to enter the wooden structure.

Wood damaged by termites may not be conspicuous because termite tunneling occurs inside the wood and a mere wooden shell may cover the damaged wood. Damaged wood can be penetrated with a screwdriver or an ice pick, revealing mud tubes lining wood tunnels in an irregular pattern.

~University of Nebraska

SUBTERRANEAN TERMITES

TREATMENT METHODS AND FLAWS: There are many different methods used to attempt to eradicate these pests. Some work, some don’t.
 

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~ Treatment Flaws of Termiticides ~

TRENCH THE SOIL WITH TERMITICIDE: Termiticide is usually a toxic chemical product, although some safer synthetic pyrethroids are being used now. The theory is that this will provide a permanent barrier in the soil under the house that the termites cannot penetrate. Some erroneously believe it will kill the colony.

FLAWS: Termiticide has a very short residual, 1 month - 7 years. It can be diluted by a high water table, or dissipate quickly in a sandy soil. Termiticide only attempts to stop termites and ignores other problems such as Fungus, Wood Beetles and Carpenter Ants.

All bugs have the ability to build up a resistance to man-made chemicals, this is called selective resistance. It has been proven that many initial termite treatments do not work because of selective resistance. Termites that have already been exposed to the chemical may not be affected by the treatment.

Some will say that this will kill the colonies. It is a known fact that termite colonies may combine up to millions of workers with thousands of queens. A colony of this size may actually consist of several colonies spread out over an acre or more. They could be 20 feet deep in the soil, with tubes extending 250 feet or more to forage for food. It is naive to assume you will kill the entire colony by injecting a small portion of the ground under a house!

 

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~ Treatment Flaws of Nematodes ~

NEMATODES: Nematodes are a microscopic worm that invades the colony of termites and spreads from worker to worker destroying the colony. They are injected into the termite tube as a liquid from a syringe.

FLAWS: Certain Nematodes will kill termites, however, the life span of a nematode is very short. They move no more than 18 inches in their lifetime on their own and will die in temperatures of over 70 degrees. Freezing temperatures will also kill them very quickly. The method of treatment is also flawed, termites are very protective of the colony. When you disturb the tube with liquid they may close off that particular tube and abandon the infected termites to die.

 

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~ Treatment Flaws of Baiting ~

BAITS are becoming very popular and are being pushed by a lot of the big name companies. I like baits because they are very safe and the termites do seem to be affected by it, but there are some problems.

FLAWS: Termite colonies are so large that it will take several years to eliminate a colony. It is speculated that larger colonies with a lot of queens may be able to keep up with the limited amount of destruction the bait causes.

Constant monitoring of the stations means more money for the company! No wonder the big name companies like it. Stations need to be monitored, some say weekly to insure the termites are taking the bait. It can take months for the termites to find a station and make the first hit.

There is no long lasting residual to stop future infestations. Constant monitoring is needed to insure the termites don’t come back.

...and lastly... how do you know when you’ve got them all?

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THE NATURELINE WAY!
TREAT THE GROUND - AND THE WOOD - NATURALLY…

TREAT THE WOOD WITH NATURELINE WOOD PRESERVATIVE
Treating the wood causes the termites to leave it alone, or kills the workers when they try to eat it. Our product works mechanically on the bugs stripping their waxy layer on the Exeo-skeleton. This is the longest lasting procedure on the market right now. These products work on fungus, wood beetles, and carpenter ants as well.

TREAT THE GROUND WITH NATURELINE SOIL BARRIER
Lots of bacteria, mold, and fungus grow under a home. In many instances, the ground is the worst! Treating the soil is a great way to kill all the bacteria; from mice and rat feces to stagnate water bacteria.

WHY WOOD TREATMENT IS THE BEST METHOD:
Subterranean Termite treatments differ from home to home. The most important thing to remember is that all the wood that Termites could come into contact with must be treated. If we cannot treat the wood, then the ground must be treated. Our treatment warranty is only good for areas we can treat, so we have to be able to get to the problem.

Our products are not designed to instantly kill all termites, it is a slow process that removes the waxy layer on their ex-skeleton which causes them to dehydrate. Termites many times will not be able to tell that our product is in the wood.

It is imperative that customers understand that termites will come back and try to eat the infested wood. When they do they will contaminate the rest of the nest with product and if they continue foraging it will wipe out the queen.

Many times they will just avoid the wood all together. When termite tubes reappear customers should call us.  Re-treatment may not always be necessary, monitoring their activity may be all that is needed to see if they go away when they start dying.

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