Termite Baiting And Perimeter Work

Q:We have started recommending to our customers the use of termite bait stations for subterranean termite control. We are currently using FirstLine GT bait stations. My question is will these stations be affected or will the termites in them be affected when we perform exterior/perimeter treatments around our residential customers’ property? (D.N.)

A: Applying any sprayable insecticide formulation on or around termite bait stations is asking for trouble. There are a number of variables that make it almost impossible to answer your question directly. While I suspect a very light application of a wettable powder or microencapsulated formulation to turf or vegetation adjacent to ground dwelling bait stations or monitoring stations would likely not affect termite foraging or feeding in that area, I certainly wouldn’t guarantee it. The trend toward using greater volumes of insecticide solutions in perimeter treatments, particularly where mulch is adjacent the foundation, increases the likelihood that some of your application will soak into the ground sufficiently to interfere with termite feeding in bait stations. Just like using baits indoors for ants and cockroaches, you should not mix sprayable pesticide formulations with bait applications.

Typically, label directions for using termite baits require that the stations or monitoring devices be placed in the soil at least 6 to 8 inches away from perimeter foundation walls. This is to avoid placing the bait in soil that may have been previously treated with termiticides. You certainly wouldn’t want to apply insecticides of any type directly to the ground in which bait stations have been inserted after you’ve gone to the trouble of avoiding likely termiticide-treated dirt when you installed the stations. I would recommend that you clearly mark the areas where stations are installed. For example, you can use small surveyor’s flags to indicate the presence of bait stations. We have done this successfully in a number of residential and commercial plots where we have been evaluating termite baits. If flags are too intrusive, you may have to invent other methods of clearly marking where the stations are so that they can be avoided when doing exterior or perimeter treatments.

It may be wise to completely avoid the use of liquid spray materials around the exterior perimeter when you are baiting for subterranean termites. In this case you could rely on the use of ant and cockroach baits around the exterior perimeter for control. Selective application of moderate volumes of wettable powder or capsule-suspension formulations may be acceptable. But I wouldn’t bet on it. Unfortunately, I have not seen any research that has addressed this problem and formulated acceptable answers.

Jeffrey Tucker is president of Entomology Associates, Houston. Questions can be sent to him c/o Entomology Associates, P.O. Box 70375, Houston TX 77270, or faxed to 713/681-9069.