Termite Habits That Enhance the Effectiveness of Liquid Termiticides
Posted on: 2 February 2022
For a long time, liquid termiticides have been the ideal solution for properties experiencing a termite infestation. As their name suggests, liquid termiticides are in liquid form and are typically applied around a property's perimeter to deter and kill termites. Liquid termiticides can effectively control subterranean termites, but their effectiveness depends on understanding the pests' behaviours. This article highlights how liquid termiticides rely on pest behaviour for efficacy.
Termites' Grooming Habits — Learning that termites are big on grooming often comes as a surprise to most homeowners, considering that the pests spend most of their lives underground in the dirt. It is a natural habit for termites to groom each other, which is good news for pest control experts. When termites pass through a liquid termiticide barrier, they pick up the chemical unknowingly since it is undetectable and transfer it to other termites during grooming. In the end, the chemical finds its way to the nest, particularly the queen. The transfer effect propagated by termite grooming habits is highly effective since it can help eliminate an entire colony in days.
Termites' Eating Behaviour — When you closely watch termite workers in the open, you will be forgiven for thinking they carry food back to the colony. However, it is not the case since termite workers feed the colony by trophallaxis. It is a process by which termites exchange food and liquids via salivary secretions and regurgitated gut contents. Pest control experts understand the process and use it to improve the effectiveness of liquid termiticides. Since termites cannot detect food covered in liquid termiticides, they readily ingest the chemical and share the contents of their gut with other termites. Thus, it allows the effects of liquid termiticides to reach farther than other termite treatment procedures, sometimes more than one colony.
Termites' Foraging Habits — Typically, ants locate a food source and create a single file to ensure the same reaches the nest. Termites are different because they continue to look for food even after finding a source, and liquid termiticides take advantage of the behaviour. Termites' relentless foraging habits force them to burrow and tunnel anywhere and everywhere, which is why they create holes all over a property. Because of the behaviour, pest control services dig a trench around a property and fill it with a liquid termiticide. Notably, the termiticide should not leave any gaps around the perimeter since it would create a safe passage for the insects. Most importantly, the barrier kills termites immediately after they contact the liquid termiticide. Thus, a liquid termiticide barrier ensures the insects do not access your property no matter how deep they dig looking for food.
For more information on termite treatment, contact a professional near you.
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