BACKGROUND

Termite baiting as a means of termite suppression and complete colony eradication has made enormous advances during recent times but also continues to be used in outdated and inefficient devices.

Until the introduction of Easy Termite Bait and Easy Termite Bait Monitor the huge benefit of total colony destruction was not fully utilised due to the use of inferior bait and baiting apparatus which resulted in colony suppression but not colony elimination, due to regular disruption of the baiting process.

To achieve maximum potential with termite baiting to achieve total colony eradication and not suppression, four important requirements are needed;

1. Highly palatable and desirable food source (amazingly not all commercially available baits meet this requirement).
2. Reliable moisture source or in the case of commercially available baits, made up with precise amount of water to consume and regurgitate as necessary.
3. A method of providing bait into closed system of colony and then adding more bait without disturbing the consumption.
4. An active ingredient (chlorfluazuron) that can reliably result in complete colony and queen elimination in a reasonable time frame (months).

MONITORING AND BAITING

Monitoring is the act of finding out if your property has dangerous species of termites nearby that could potentially damage your home.

Bait is the substance with a chemical/ poison (poison to termites only) that is made up with water and is fed to and added to the monitor/ station once termites are within. Bait is a food product and spoils once made up with water unless it is being eaten by termites. Bait is never added to anything that doesn’t have active termites.

The Easy Termite Bait Monitor is designed for long term baiting to achieve colony elimination.

Australian Standards recognises the distinct difference between baiting (feeding with Easy Termite Bait plus water) a termite active house directly and proactively protecting that home with monitors/ stations for future attack. Once a house is being eaten and attacked by termites, bait (Easy Termite Bait plus water) needs to be applied directly to the activity.

Chlorfluazuron, the active in Easy Termite Bait has continually been shown in scientific studies to be the most effective of the benzoyphenylurea chitin synthesis inhibitors in reliability and speed of colony destruction.

1. EASY TERMITE BAIT DIY 

The FIRST method of using Easy Termite Bait is when you have termites in a solid timber structure that is firmly attached to the ground (like your home). When termites are found in a structure it is extremely important to not disturb them or use any chemicals on them prior to using Easy Termite Bait.

PREPARING EASY TERMITE BAIT

1. Easy Termite Bait comes in its own Treatment Pod. If you are a smoker or have recently been exposed to any chemicals use disposable gloves when handling Treatment Pod.
2. Pour 200ml of clean filtered water into Easy Termite Bait Pod by opening the zip lock seal.
3. Reseal zip lock and shake contents until even, lumpy consistency is achieved.
4. Do not use water that has been chlorinated or contaminated in any way.
5. It is extremely important that the zip lock closure of Treatment Pod is completely closed and locked after each inspection and after adding more bait. 6. Depending whether the surface to be attached to is horizontal (adhesive patch on bottom of pod is used) or vertical (adhesive patch on side of pod is used), we cut out the centre of appropriate adhesive patch with pointed scissors or pointed blade, taking as much of 10mm hole as possible.

INSTALLING TREATMENT POD ON TIMBER STRUCTURE

In this method the Easy Termite Bait Pod (with water) is attached directly to active termites within timber via the Straw and Double-Sided Patch.

1. A small hole (5-6mm) with pen knife is made into termite active timber (avoid if possible using power drill as vibration can alarm some species of termites). Try to choose area that is visibly damaged but not so thin that will not allow hole to be made without collapse or won’t support Pod to be attached. Only continue if termites visible (If no termites cover with gaffer tape and find new location). A torch will help see termites in hole.

2. Insert straw snuggly into hole, cut excess straw off, leaving 10mm exposed.

3. Remove protective cover of appropriate adhesive patch to be used. Apply 5mm bead of Adhesive/ Gap Filler around patch.

4. Place Prepared Easy Termite Bait Pod over straw, pushing firmly onto timber.

5. Still holding pod (second person and second pair of hands is beneficial now), add tape to firmly attach/seal pod to surrounds.

Install Prepared Easy Termite Bait Pod with the zip lock at upper most position for easy addition of more Easy Termite Bait (plus water) from second Pod. Only one Pod/ place of feeding is required or desirable for colony eradication. NOTE: At every new feeding location some bait is used by termites to protect entry point and therefore not consumed. Therefore, it is faster and more economical to have consumption by colony at fewer feeding locations. DO NOT HAVE PODS ANY CLOSER THAN 5M FROM ANOTHER TREATMENT POD.

ON-GOING BAITING OF TIMBER STRUCTURE WITH TREATMENT POD

After the installed Prepared Easy Termite Bait DIY Pod has been left untouched for a minimum of 10 days (up to 28 days), the Pod is inspected via the zip lock.

1. The Pod should be inspected every 10 to 28 days with the more frequent inspections occurring during the initial stages of termite feeding.
2. Although Pod is light resistant, when installed in direct light it is a good idea to also cover between visits with aluminium foil. In particularly hot environments a moistened cloth may be draped over Pod to keep it cool. In addition, the Pod may require additional protection from wild life/ pets.
3. After opening Pod at 10 days via Ziplock and termite consumption has not commenced, and no sign of termites or mud exists within pod. Using the zip lock opening (and using a long sterile screwdriver) find the straw from inside pod and dislodge and re-pierce hole into timber/ termite workings. If consumption has still not commenced after 4 weeks, the bait will have started to deteriorate and a new activity point with a new Prepared Easy Termite Bait DIY Pod should be tried.
4. Allow all (or 90%) of first Prepared Easy Termite Bait to be eaten before adding contents of second Easy Termite Bait Pod plus water, mixed well, and tipped into first attached Pod via zip lock.
5. Continue to add contents of additional Easy Termite Bait Pod (plus water)  to original Pod as contents consumed BUT as consumption slows increase days to inspection (i.e., if more than half contents remain, double time to 20 days).
6. When worker termite numbers start to decline (Queen has died) and soldier numbers become dominate, continue to add new clean bait which will allow an observation of when activity has ceased between visits. Even when no termites are observed and it is expected that colony elimination has occurred, add clean bait and re-inspect in 4 weeks. If only soldier termites are seen, all workers may have died and soldiers will not last long without workers feeding them.
7. If still no activity has been observed, and new bait is still clean, leave a further 4 weeks until confirming Colony Elimination.
8. After Colony Elimination has occurred Treatment Pod can be removed and any repairs to structure can now be made.
   MOST IMPORTANTLY: Do not over service as continually opening the Pod will slow feeding. Do not use more than one Pod at a time in area of activity. Even when 2 or 3 Pods are used in a home in different areas (never closer than 5m apart), one is usually eaten in preference to others. On average anywhere from 6 to 12 Easy Termite Bait Pods is required by colony until elimination of the whole colony and queen. More may be required in particularly large colonies or when multiple feeding points are used.Continue to add contents of additional Easy Termite Bait Pod (plus water)  to original Pod as contents consumed BUT as consumption slows increase days to inspection (i.e., if more than half contents remain, double time to 20 days).When worker termite numbers start to decline (Queen has died) and soldier numbers become dominate, continue to add new clean bait which will allow an observation of when activity has ceased between visits. Even when no termites are observed and it is expected that colony elimination has occurred, add clean bait and re-inspect in 4 weeks. If only soldier termites are seen, all workers may have died and soldiers will not last long without workers feeding them.If still no activity has been observed, and new bait is still clean, leave a further 4 weeks until confirming Colony Elimination.After Colony Elimination has occurred Treatment Pod can be removed and any repairs to structure can now be made.