Pros and Cons Of Using Termite Bait For DIY Termite Control

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Late 2017, homeowners in Ipswich received a warning that homes built between 1995 and 2002 on foundation slabs were at high risk of termite exposure. Your Ipswich home falls into this age range, and you are considering your options for termite control. You recently saw termite bait traps at your local hardware store, and are wondering if they are worth purchasing or if you should just call in the professionals. So, before you try do-it-yourself termite control, these are the pros and cons of using termite bait in your home.

Benefits of termite bait

Termite bait is inserted into traps and placed in locations both in your house and around your garden. The bait is mixed with products termites like to eat, such as cardboard and wood pulp. The termites feast on the bait and are then killed by the chemical.

Termite bait traps are environmentally friendly in that the killer chemical remains in the trap. This containment makes it a positive choice for people who don't want chemicals sprayed in and around the home.

A termite bait trap is monitored quarterly. It is relocated if it is apparent its current position is being avoided by termites. At each monitoring check up you must top up or remove the bait depending on the amount of termite activity in the area. The constant monitoring results in changes being made, so the system mirrors current termite movement trends. By comparison, a once-a-year spray does not offer the same constant monitoring activity.

Negatives of termite bait

There are two main negatives for choosing the termite bait and trap route:

  1. The termite bait needs to get the attention of the termite's appetite to work. The bait is competing with all the naturally occurring termite food such as the wood in your home. If you do not place the bait and trap in the ideal location, it will be overlooked by the termites, and this means it is ineffective.
  2. If you do not remember to monitor and make changes to the termite bait system, then it will also be ineffective in the long term. It does need constant attention to be in the path of the changing location of termites.

Termite control is essential in areas likes Ipswich where homes are not currently protected. While a do-it-yourself approach may work for you, there are no guarantees. Talk to your local pest control agent to find out what guaranteed solutions are available to you. By doing so, you positively minimise the chances of termite damage to your home.

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