Stop Termites From Feasting On Your Home (NAPSA)—You can’t stop termites from making your home the main course of their feast until you understand the rules of the game. That’s why homeowners who suspect termite damage hire an experienced professional to coordinate the program. Pest experts point out that when termites infest buildings, they damage lumber, woodpanels, flooring, sheetrock, wallpaper, paper products andfabric made of plant fibers. The most serious damage—costing up to about $1 billion each year—is the loss of structural strength. “The biggest problem with termites is that the insects remain hidden while they do their damage,” said Faith Oi, assistant extension scientist at the University of Florida. “If you are concerned about avoiding termite damage, you should call a pest professional to inspect or treat your house.” Baits involve the installation of bait stations in the ground. Termites then eat the bait and carry the active ingredient throughout the colony or area, which in turn reduces the colony population. One of the newest products, Subterfuge termite bait, is highly attractive to termites. Becauseit tastes so good to them, termites that discover the bait are quick to bring other termites from the nest to the Subterfuge and to help to ‘Nan-Yao Su/University of Florida A BIG BITE—Termites put the bite on homes and buildings to the tune of $1 billion a year in damageandtreatment. spreadit throughouttherest of the colony. And, unlike other baits, Subterfuge termite bait is active from day one, which meansit can begin killing termites that very same day. Other products are installed initially for monitoring purposes only and have no active insecticide. That means they can take months before they even begin to work. Another new product available, Phantom termiticide-insecticide, is a nonrepellent that allows termites to pass through treated areas without even knowing it. After exposure to Phantom, termites just continue their normal colony activity, passing along a dose of Phantom that can wipe out the entire nest. For more information about these two new and effective products, consult a pest control professional.
