What to Expect During a Termite Treatment

The termite treatment carried out will depend on the construction of the building, the areas requiring protection, termite risk, access and the treatment system recommended for the property. More than one treatment method may be used where this provides the most appropriate termite management solution.

Chemical Soil Treatments

Chemical soil treatments are designed to create a continuous treated zone in the soil around or beneath the building. The purpose of the treated zone is to help prevent concealed termite entry by creating treated soil that termites must encounter when attempting to reach the structure.

Depending on the construction of the property, installation may involve trenching and treating soil alongside foundations, treating soil beneath suspended floors, or drilling through concrete and paved areas so the soil below can be treated.

Repellent Termiticides

Repellent termiticides create a treated zone that termites detect and generally avoid. This helps deter termites from crossing the treated soil to gain access to the building.

Non-Repellent Termiticides

Non-repellent termiticides are designed so termites do not readily detect the treated soil. Termites may enter or travel through the treated zone and come into contact with the termiticide. Depending on the product used, affected termites may also transfer the active ingredient to other termites through normal contact and social behaviour.

Maintaining the Treated Zone

For a chemical soil treatment to provide effective protection, continuity of the treated zone is important. Untreated gaps or later disturbance can provide opportunities for termite entry.

Chemical soil treatments also have a limited effective life and may require future assessment or replenishment depending on the product used, the property and environmental conditions. The treatment documentation will identify the product used and the requirements for ongoing inspections and management.

Drilling and Injection

Where concrete, paving or other hard surfaces prevent direct access to the soil, holes may be drilled at suitable intervals so the soil beneath can be treated. Once treatment has been completed, the treatment points are sealed.

Termite Reticulation Systems

A termite reticulation system uses a network of specialised pipework installed around or beneath areas of a building. Reticulation systems are most commonly installed during the construction of new builds and extensions, before areas such as the concrete slab become inaccessible.

Once installed, the system allows liquid termiticide to be distributed into the surrounding soil to create or replenish a chemical treated zone designed to help protect the building from concealed termite entry.

One of the main advantages of a reticulation system is that the treated zone can be replenished through designated filling points without repeatedly excavating or accessing the treated soil.

Reticulation systems require ongoing management. The system must be inspected and replenished at the appropriate intervals for the termiticide and system being used, together with regular termite inspections of the property.

Termite Monitoring and Baiting Systems

Surekill Pest Control installs and maintains professional termite monitoring and baiting systems, including Exterra and Sentricon Always Active. These systems are designed to provide ongoing monitoring and termite colony control around the property.

Stations are strategically installed in the ground around the perimeter of the building in locations where subterranean termites are likely to forage. The contents of the stations depend on the system being used and may include timber monitoring rods or termite bait.

Exterra Termite Interception and Baiting System

The Exterra system uses in-ground stations installed around the perimeter of the property. Depending on the termite management program, the stations may contain timber monitoring interceptors or termite bait.

Where timber monitoring interceptors are used, the stations are regularly inspected for termite activity. If termites are detected, termite bait can be introduced into the station with minimal disturbance so the termites can continue feeding.

Exterra can also use bait within the in-ground stations as an ongoing baiting option, allowing foraging termites that enter the station to begin feeding on the bait.

Once termites feed on the bait, the slow-acting treatment is progressively distributed through the termite colony as the termites continue their normal feeding and social behaviour.

Sentricon Always Active

Sentricon Always Active stations contain termite bait from the time the system is installed. This means the bait is already available when foraging termites enter a station, rather than waiting for termites to first be detected in a timber monitoring rod before bait is introduced.

The stations remain in place around the property and are regularly inspected and maintained as part of the ongoing termite management program.

How Termite Baiting Works

Termite bait uses a slow-acting active ingredient so worker termites have time to feed and continue their normal behaviour. The treatment is progressively distributed through the termite population as termites feed and interact with other colony members.

The objective is to affect the termite colony rather than simply kill the individual termites found in a station. Treatment stations and aggregation systems work by allowing termites to continue feeding and transferring the treatment through the colony with minimal disturbance

Regular Monitoring and Servicing

Whether the stations contain monitoring timber or termite bait, regular professional inspection is essential. Surekill technicians check the stations for termite activity, assess the condition of the monitoring material or bait and service the system as required.

Surekill carries out quarterly station inspections, with bait or monitoring components maintained or replaced as necessary.

Annual Termite Inspection

A comprehensive termite inspection of the entire property should be carried out at least annually, even when a termite monitoring and baiting system is installed and regularly serviced.

Checking in-ground stations monitors specific locations around the property and does not replace a comprehensive termite inspection of the building and surrounding areas. Regular inspections help identify new termite activity and conditions that may increase the risk of termite attack.

Treatment of Active Termites

If active termites are present, the activity may need to be treated before or as part of the broader termite management program.

Surekill predominantly uses termite baiting for active termite workings. The bait is mixed with water and placed over the active workings so the termites can continue feeding with as little disturbance as possible.

Depending on the location and circumstances, other targeted treatment methods may include foaming or dusting. Dusting may still be appropriate in some situations, although it is not the treatment method Surekill commonly relies on today.

Disturbance of termite workings can affect treatment because termites may seal off damaged galleries or abandon an area, which is why active workings should be treated carefully and then left undisturbed.

Trees and Termite Nests

Trees, tree stumps and other timber around the property may also be inspected where they could be associated with termite activity. Termite colonies can occur within the hollow centre or root crown of trees and stumps.

Where termite activity is identified in a tree, Surekill drills and injects the tree so the treatment can be directed into the termite workings or nest area. Treatment points are sealed after application.

The surrounding soil may also require treatment where this forms part of the termite management plan.

More Than One Colony May Be Present

Finding and treating one area of termite activity does not necessarily mean there is only one termite colony affecting the property. A property may be exposed to more than one colony or even more than one termite species, which is why termite management considers the building as well as surrounding trees, stumps, fences, gardens and other potential termite harbourage.

Ongoing Termite Management

Termite management does not finish when the initial treatment or system installation is completed. All termite management systems require ongoing inspection, servicing or maintenance. Your Surekill technician will explain the requirements for the system installed at your property.