Termite Treatment Chemicals and Using Bait Dry?

Termite Treatment Chemicals now includes Dry Termite Baitwhich has recently been claimed as the next big thing.

Termite Monitoring to date is not termite baiting (poisoning), with each being mutually independent. Now with the recent introduction of Dry Termite Bait as new termite treatment chemicals, it can be asked has the terminology now changed? That is can monitoring to detect termites outside our homes be achieved by a product that also acts as a bait/ poison and ultimately remove the need to inspect regularly?

The Short Answer is No!

Traditionally Termite Monitoring does not use poison(whether hazardous or not) to attract termites (sometimes called white ants) but uses various cellulose/ timber products to catch these termites in numbers where they can then be treated. This cellulose/ timber within the monitor are sometimes referred to incorrectly as bait.

However with the recent introduction of a number of termite bait dry products has this all changed. The dry termite bait products still use the traditional active ingredient from the Benzoyphenylurea chitin synthesis inhibitors which have the unique ability to disrupt the molting and other processes of termites by inhibiting the production of chitin. The further benefit is that these termite treatment chemicals (classified as not dangerous and non-toxic) are undetected by termites in low doses. Unfortunately not all Benzoyphenylureas are equal and some of the first ones trialed proved a colony suppressor rather than a Colony Eradicator and the reestablishment after a few years of the home damage stage of the colony.

The Benzoyphenylurea, Chlorfluazuron has been proved in Australia (and elsewhere) via independently peer reviewed studies over a number of years to not only suppress but completely eliminate the entire threat from a colony. Therefore the use of chemicals that have failed in these reviews is concerning.

Further the need to get a gram or more of the active into the colony for complete destruction means to date a single dose point of a 1000g of termite bait dry(1g active/1000g dry bait matrix) without regular addition of new fresh dry bait has not been possible as the termite bait deteriorates before consumption.

Further still possibly the greatest disadvantage of dry bait is that it ignores the importance of water in the foraging and other behaviours of the timber consuming termites. Food as in most living species is always of secondary importance to water in survival. Much of the active ingredient in moisture/ cellulose matrix is consumed by termites during moisture sourcing and consumption. Therefore moisture/ cellulose matrix is always consumed much more quickly than any dry termite bait, even inferior less palatable baits will be consumed as a moisture source rather than food source.

So the question needs to be asked why would we use termite bait dry at all when it can’t be used as a combined monitor/ bait poison without regular servicing, plus better more palatable monitors exist, plus better more palatable/ quicker acting baits exist?