Need info re: zapping termites

[Dixon]

I need info on environmentally responsible ways of getting rid of termites in my home (I assume I have to kill them rather than relocate them or negotiate with them). I hear that freezing them with liquid nitrogen is non-toxic. Any other suggestions, or info about who to hire for the job, and perhaps some notion of how much a procedure costs, if you happen to know?
Thanks;
Dixon
527-6163

[Barry]

I need info on environmentally responsible ways of getting rid of termites in my home...

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Barry

[Evalena Rose]

Hi Waccoites,
In response to Dixon's question re: termites, I'm sending the compilation from last May when I asked a similar question. Sorry I don't have time to clean it up, but thought it might be helpful to have our compiled responses.

I used Northwest Pest Control and was pleased with their use of fairly non-toxic products. Jody was good in helping me think through options. He advised against the heat treatment as it heats up everything in the house and can melt anything plastic. It is almost never used any more. I am pretty reactive to products that are toxic and didn't feel any reaction to theirs. Luckily our termites were subterranean so they are treated in the ground, but I did a lot of research to say yes to them out of concern for our well. Blessings, Evalena

From: Pati McDermott
Subject: TERMITES COMPILATION
Dear Wacco;
Thank you to all who replied to my inquiry regarding termite infestation. My original message is below followed by all of the responses I received with answers to my question. Of all of the advice given I think that a freezing method using nitrogen gas seems the most effective. It kills the eggs as well as the insects so that the termites don't return. The tenting process most commonly used only kills the adult insects so the termites eventually return. Bill Mashek from Northwest Pest in Santa Rosa was recommended by one
of the people who replied. A warning was sent not to hire Hydrex in Petaluma.
I will send this information to my friend and hope that this is helpful to some of you here as well.
Good luck!
Pati

--- Steve Cochrane wrote:
hi Just a thought or two...
Someone i knew got one of those things that sends out sonic waves above the human threshold of hearing, and said that it seemed to keep all insects away. I didn't look too closely though, to not insult her (she was in her mid-80's), so i cannot vouch. On the other hand, i wondered if it might be detrimental to humans... Other than soundwaves or microwaves (the latter of which may actually be used on termites, though all the 'alternative' methods seem to be very expensive), the problem is knowing where they are in the building. I have heard of dogs trained to sniff them out, but don't know of any locally. Above can be deterred from returning by having all access to attics screened, and all other exposed wood, esp if wet or deteriorated, treated with wood preservative, stain, or paint....

Good luck to your friend, she actually got off relatively cheap for
such..... Steve

--- John Rothfield wrote:
Be careful of the exterminating companies. We called one up to inquiry about their services, and before you know it, they came and did the work without our authorization! Had to take them to small claims court and we still had to pay them. That was Hydrex in Petaluma, I certainly don't recommend them!
John

--- John Rothfield wrote:
There is the heat treatment, thats what hydrex did...
John

--- Pam Miller wrote:
Hi Pati, you might want to check with Bill Mashek from Northwest
Pest in Santa Rosa. He specializes in non-toxic termite
treatments. --Pam

--- mystic wrote:
Hi
I don't have the answer you are looking for (though I am interested to hear your results). I don know that one can find on the Internet a process where they use nitrogen gas instead of nerve gas under the tent. It freezes them and destroys the eggs that way as well. At the time my wife and I did the search there was some one servicing this part of CA. The problem your friend is having sounds like whomever did the work the first time did not advise your friend properly about the source of the infestation. Until that is found and eliminated the termites will very likely just keep coming back. Good luck and please forward the results. I'm sure a lot of us would like that info.
Amos

--- Lauri wrote:
I knew a termite guy once and they would put towers outside near the house with bait, so the bugs would go there instead of the house.I would think that it could only be in conjunction with the fumigation though to get rid of the problem once and for all. Lauren

--- Susan Bahl wrote:
Patti,
There are non-toxic bug people in the yellow pages-you can use a freezing method..Termite go where there is moisture, tenting doesn't work because termites are doing their job, check her roof and gutters and plumbing.
Susan

--- Merrilyn Joyce wrote:
Hi Pati,
I don't have an answer but I think you're right to search. There was a master gardener, Will Kenney (of the shoe family) who was on Barbara Sparks KPFK radio program in LA every week for years. He had an organic solution for everything. I don't remember what he used for termites - it may have been organic but never-the-less lethal and could be purchased at the pharmacy then. (Borax is used to kill roaches when they track it into the nest.) Somehow he'd identify where the critters main runs were and
drill into the wood and inject the poison with an eye dropper or something appropriate. He claimed that by killing them on the "freeway" it would eliminate them on the country lanes as well. I just did a DogPile search (Termites "natural control" solutions)
and found this right off at

https://www.thebestcontrol.com/bugst...s_favorite.htm
there are other references and you could check them out yourself at:

https://www.dogpile.com/info.dogpl/s...atural%2Bcontrol%2522%2Bsolutions
Termite baits are just starting to be introduced and be used. The best termite bait station is the made of rolled cardboard and described in The Best Control II©. A termite bait station to be effective must be properly placed near the structure, but away from soils contaminated with termiticide poisons. Virtually any diluted antibiotic or salt spray will quickly kill a feeding colony of termites. As EPA and environmental concerns limit traditional termiticides, people will rely more on baits. Trying to get a feel for the colony is important for treatments, esp. baits. Worker termites and supplemental queens are the ones to key on with your bait treatments. Placement is important. Use 1*2% - 1% disodium octoborate tetrahydrate or table salt or borax as the maximum amount of toxin in your (cardboard or cellulose insulation) baits, or use Flagyl® or goldenseal which also helps to kill the protozoa and bacteria in their guts. We have a pest guy who might be worth talking to. His name is Gary Renaud of Genesis Termite 523-0591. He knows lots even if it is conventional wisdom. And he repairs the damage done by pests, molds, fungus etc. Very thorough and fair.
Merrilyn