One of the best ways to get rid of a subterranean termite colony is to use a baiting system. But what exactly is a baiting system and what does it do? Let’s find out!
What is a baiting system?
The baiting system is a method that is used against subterranean termite colonies. It consists of several plastic containers that are placed in holes in the ground, and these containers house cellulose laced with a slow-acting termiticide. The reason these containers are placed in shallow holes is because the cellulose needs to be checked every once in a while, either to see if the container is placed in a location that is accessible to termites, or to replace the cellulose as it is eaten by the termites.
How does the baiting system work?
The baiting system is designed to slowly collapse a termite colony. The exact mechanism of action depends on the termiticide used, but the end result is always the death of the queen and the destruction of the entire colony. Subterranean termite colonies can get huge, with millions of members, so they will have to forage food from multiple sources. One of these sources is your home, and another may be a nearby wood pile. These food sources are located by workers on scouting duty, which will continuously dig tunnels in the ground surrounding the colony looking for wood. Eventually, they will also find the baiting containers.
Once the bait is picked up, it will be shared around the colony, and because it is slow-acting, the termites do not know what is killing them. Termites are quite smart. If a piece of food, or an area kills them, they will tend to avoid it. Because the bait is laced with slow-acting termiticide, they will keep gathering the food and sharing it around until it reaches the queen and kills it.
How are baiting systems installed?
The best way to make sure that a baiting system is installed correctly is to hire a pest control professional who will install and manage it until the colony is dead. If you would like to know more information about baiting systems, how they work, and how much they cost, or if you have a termite infestation that needs to be removed, contact us today. We offer Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination throughout Tucson, Vail, Green Valley, Oro Valley, Catalina Foothills, Sahuarita, and Saddlebrooke.
