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Methods of Termite Control

extension.msstate.edu/content/methods-termite-control

Before considering different methods of termite control, it is important to recognize that there
are two major categories of termite treatments based on when the treatment is applied:
preconstruction treatments and postconstruction treatments.

Preconstruction treatments are protective treatments that are applied or installed as a

building is being built, and shortly after the building is completed. Obviously, preconstruction
treatments can only be applied at one point in the life of a building. Some types of treatments
and physical barriers can only be applied at this time, but there are other methods of termite
treatment that can be applied either as preconstruction treatments or postconstruction
treatments. Most preconstruction termite treatments installed in Mississippi utilize liquid
termiticides. It is important that any subsequent additions to a building also be properly
pretreated.

Installation of a liquid termiticide pretreatment is a two-step process that involves

establishing a horizontal barrier of treated soil underneath the building and a vertical barrier
of treated soil around the exterior building foundation.

Step 1. The horizontal barrier must be installed before the slab or foundation for the
building is poured, but after all form boards and other preparation for pouring the slab
or foundation is completed.
Step 2. The vertical barrier, or exterior perimeter treatment is applied shortly after the
building is completed and the final exterior perimeter grade is established.

MSU-ES Publication 2765, What Home Builders Need to Know about Termites, specifically
addresses preconstruction termite treatments.

Postconstruction treatments are treatments that are applied to older, established buildings.
Because termiticide treatments do not last indefinitely, buildings need to be periodically re-
treated for termites in order to maintain termite protection, and a building that is many
decades old may have received several termite treatments. Postconstruction treatments may
be applied preventively or remedially. Even in the absence of active termite infestations,

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preventive treatments may be required simply because of the amount of time that has
passed since the last termite treatment or in response to some type of problem that has
compromised the treatment.

Remedial treatments are applied in response to detection of an active termite infestation.

Depending on the situation, remedial treatments may be either partial treatments that are
applied only to the area of the building where the infestation has been detected or, more
commonly, a remedial treatment may involve treatment of the entire building. Partial
treatments are only appropriate for situations in which there is good reason to believe the
majority of the building is still properly protected and the active infestation is believed to be
limited to a particular area of the building.

MSU-ES Publication 2568, Protect Your House from Termites, specifically addresses
postconstruction termite treatments.

Methods of termite control. Common methods of termite control include insecticide

treatments, as well as various types of physical barriers and construction practices. However,
insecticides are the primary method of controlling termites in Mississippi and throughout the
Southeast. Physical barriers are used mainly as supplemental protection in new construction.

Liquid termiticide treatments. (Figure 1) Liquid termiticide is the most commonly used
method of controlling termites. Liquid termiticides are insecticides that have been specifically
developed for termite control. These products are diluted in water and applied to the soil
immediately under or around the foundation of a building to establish a zone of treated soil
that will control termites that attempt to tunnel through it. This takes advantage of the
foraging behavior of subterranean termites, as well as their normal need to constantly return
to the soil for moisture. In addition to safety and efficacy against termites, one of the most
important criteria for a good termiticide is the length of residual control the product will
provide. Some of the better soil-applied termiticides will provide control for 8 to 12 years or
longer. Active ingredients of products recommended for use as liquid termiticides include:
fipronil, imidacloprid, chlorantraniliprole, permethrin, cypermethrin, and bifenthrin. Liquid
termiticides are widely used both for preconstruction and postconstruction termite control.

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 Figure 1. Liquid termiticide is being applied to the exterior perimeter of this house to
establish a treated soil barrier that will prevent termite attack

Foam termiticide treatments. (Figure 2) Foam termiticide treatments are insecticides that are
diluted in water with a special foaming agent to form an end-use product with a consistency
similar to that of shaving cream. Foam treatments are primarily used to supplement control
provided by other types of termite treatments. They can be injected into wall voids and other
voids in buildings and foundations where their consistency allows them to spread laterally
and even upward to reach areas that could not be easily treated with a liquid termiticide. The
foam breaks down quickly, leaving the insecticide residue on the inner surfaces of the treated
void. Many of the insecticides used as liquid termiticides may also be mixed and used as
foam termiticide treatments. Foam termiticides can be mixed and applied using special foam
applicator tanks and are also available in premixed aerosol cans. Foam termiticide
treatments are especially useful for control of aerial colonies of Formosan termites. Active
ingredients most often used as foam termiticide treatments include fipronil and imidacloprid.

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 Figure 2. Termiticide foam is being injected into a wall void. The foam has a
consistency similar to shaving cream.

Borate treatments. Borate treatments are products that are diluted with water and applied as
a preconstruction treatment to the lower two feet of studs, sill plates, exposed inside surfaces
of exterior sheathing, and other framing elements in contact with the concrete slab. The
treatment must be applied only after the building is in the “dried in” or “blacked in” stage of
construction and before insulation and interior wall coverings are installed (see label for
additional detail and complete instructions for treating basements and crawlspaces).
Currently, disodium octaborate tetrahydrate is the only active ingredient that is approved for
use as a termite preconstruction borate treatment. However, borate treatments may not be
used as a stand-alone treatment in Mississippi. Buildings treated with a preconstruction
borate treatment must also receive a final exterior perimeter treatment with an approved
liquid termiticide. Essentially, the borate treatment replaces the sub-slab/sub-foundation
horizontal barrier portion of a preconstruction treatment.

Wood preservatives/ “treated wood.” Note that this method of treatment is more appropriate
for use in outdoor, extra-building construction rather than in homes and other buildings.
Wood elements such as posts and landscape timbers that will be in direct contact with the
ground must be chemically treated to protect against termites and wood decay fungi. Treated
wood is used in fences, decks, exterior steps, and other outdoor/extra-building construction,
but most building codes prohibit direct wood to soil contact within buildings. One reason for
this is that, even with pressure-treated wood, treatments may not always reach to the center
of the treated timber, and an in-ground post with an unprotected center provides ready
access for termites.

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Use of treated wood in sills, floor joists, and other sub-floor construction elements that are
not in direct contact with soil will provide additional termite protection, but this should not be
viewed as a stand-alone method of termite protection. Examples of active ingredients used in
“treated wood” include: alkaline copper quaternary compound (ACQ), copper azole (CA),
micronized copper quaternary (MCQ), copper dimethyl-dithiocarbamate (CDDC), and
creosote. Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) was removed from market in 2003. Because of
their water solubility and tendency to leach, borate treatments are not used to protect wood
that will be in contact with the ground or exposed to weather.

Termite baiting stations. (Figure 3) Termite baiting stations use low doses of specially
selected, slow-acting, non-repellent insecticides that are impregnated into wood or some
other attractive substrate to control termites. There are two different types of baiting stations,
in-ground stations and aboveground stations, but in-ground baiting stations are most
common.

Figure 3. This in-ground termite baiting station is being checked for termite activity.

In-ground baiting stations are installed in the ground at periodic spacing around the outside
perimeter of the building. Foraging termite workers discover the baiting stations, feed on the
treated bait, and share this poisoned food with their colony mates, including the immature
and reproductive stages. Bait treatments are slow-acting but ultimately result in the
destruction of the colony. When properly installed and maintained, in-ground baiting stations
are an effective long-term method of protecting buildings from termites.

Because they are slow-acting, baiting stations are usually not used as stand-alone
treatments to control existing termite infestations. In this case, baiting stations may be placed
around the building as usual, but known points of termite activity are also treated with a liquid

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termiticide. The goal here is to quickly control the existing infestation with the liquid treatment
and then rely on the baiting stations for long-term preventive control.

Several different brands of termite baiting stations are available. In most cases the stations
are originally baited with a piece of wood or other substrate that is attractive to termites but
contains no insecticide. These stations are checked periodically, and when termite feeding is
detected in a station, the old bait is replaced with a new bait that contains insecticide and the
termites are allowed to continue feeding. However, some brands of baiting stations include
the active ingredient in the original bait. Active ingredients used in currently available baiting
stations include: noviflumuron, hexaflumuron, novaluron, diflubenzuron, hydramethylnon,
and sulfluramid.

Some companies also produce aboveground baiting stations that are sometimes used to
control termites in special situations, such as aerial colonies of Formosan termites.

Dry Termiticides. Dry termiticides are specialty products that are occasionally used to control,
or for supplement control of, drywood or subterranean termites. Dry termiticides consist of a
dry granular bait substrate impregnated with a small amount of termiticide. Dry termiticides
are injected directly into active termite galleries with the goal of having the termites feed on
the bait and distribute the toxicant throughout the colony. Such treatments are most useful
for eliminating small, isolated infestations of drywood termites, or possibly as supplemental
treatments for Formosan termites. Dry termiticide treatments are not recommended as
stand-alone treatments for typical structural infestations of subterranean termites (eastern
subterranean termites or Formosan termites).

Fumigation. Fumigation involves enclosing a termite-infested object inside a gas-proof

enclosure and exposing it for a prescribed period of time to sulfuryl fluoride gas (Vikane or
Termafume). Small objects, such as furniture, can be fumigated by placing them in special
fumigation chambers. It is also possible to fumigate entire buildings by fully enclosing or
“tenting” them in gas-proof coverings and releasing the fumigant inside the building. This is a
costly and highly specialized method of termite treatment and only a few Mississippi
companies are able to perform tent fumigations. However, tenting and fumigation is
sometimes the only effective method of eliminating infestations of drywood termites that have
spread to multiple locations within a building. Tent fumigation is also used to treat boats
infested with Formosan termites, and is sometimes used to treat Formosan termites in
buildings.

Physical termite barriers. Several types of physical termite barriers can be installed during
initial construction of a building to make it more difficult for termites to enter the building and
to make detection of subsequent termite infestations more likely.

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Termite shields. Termite shields are thin pieces of metal flashing that are installed between
masonry foundation support walls and support piers and the wooden sill plates or other
wooden structural elements that are installed directly over the foundation. The objective is to
prevent termites from being able to attack the building through unseen cracks in the masonry
foundation wall and/or support piers. Termite shields are installed during initial construction.
Properly installed shields should extend at least two inches beyond the foundation wall, be
bent downward at a 45-degree angle, and have all gaps sealed. Termite shields are primarily
used in houses with “conventional foundations” or crawl spaces so that they are installed at
least 18 inches above the ground. Termite shields do not prevent termite attack and are
not an effective stand-alone treatment for termites. However, properly installed termite
shields make it much easier to detect termite infestations by forcing any invading termites to
build mud shelter tubes around the termite shield where they are easier to see during routine
inspections, resulting in more timely and effective treatment.

Termite collars. In buildings with slab-type foundations, plumbing and electrical conduit
penetrations are common points of entry for termites. This is because concrete can pull away
from pipes as it cures, resulting in cracks that are large enough to allow termites to enter the
building unseen. Several companies sell stainless steel mesh or plastic collars that can be
placed around pipes before pouring the slab to give a termite proof seal at such slab
penetrations. While this does not prevent termite attack at other points in the building, it
reduces the potential for termites to enter around plumbing penetrations, where inspection
and early detection is difficult or impossible in a finished building.

Full foundation physical barriers. Several companies market physical termite barriers made
of stainless steel mesh or other materials that are installed underneath the entire slab, or
foundation, of a building, usually in combination with termite collars or termite shields. The
objective is to create a termite-proof barrier underneath the building that will prevent termites
from entering through unseen cracks and crevices in the slab or other foundation elements.
However, such barriers do not provide complete protection and additional treatments using
liquid termiticides or baits are still required to prevent termites from invading along the
outside perimeter of the building.

Other building construction practices. Because building practices have such great effect on a
building’s susceptibility to termite infestation, state and local building codes include
requirements that address termite risks. The information presented here is not intended to
replace building code requirements but only to point out some areas of greatest risk that
should be given particular attention with respect to reducing potential for future termite
problems.

Remove all wooden stakes and form boards after construction is complete. Any
untreated wood left in the ground or in contact with the soil constitutes a high risk for
termite attack.

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Remove any tree stumps and roots during initial site preparation and do not leave or
bury wood scraps, paper, or cardboard trash under or near crawl spaces or slabs.
Termites will readily use such wood or cellulose resources to establish colonies that
can eventually invade the building.
Beginning with initial site preparation and grading and continuing through final grading
and landscape installation, make sure proper drainage is achieved and maintained so
that water does not accumulate in crawl spaces or against the exterior foundation wall.
Such conditions are favorable to termites and also hasten degradation of termiticide
treatments.
On buildings with slab construction, be sure the lower edge of any type of siding,
whether wood, vinyl, plastic, metal, or other material, is at least 6 inches above the final
soil grade. Over time, accumulations of leaves, pine straw, mulch, or soil will reduce
this gap and termites can readily enter buildings by tubing up the slab and behind
siding. Having a minimum of 6 inches of clearance makes inspection and detection of
termite infestations much easier and more successful.
Drivit and stucco are two methods of exterior wall construction that have historically
proven to be especially prone to termite problems when not properly installed. See
comments above. Maintain a minimum of 6 inches of clearance between soil grade and
lower edge of siding.
Insulated concrete form (ICF) construction that extends below soil grade or within 6
inches of soil grade increases potential for termite infestation. Termites can tunnel
through cracks between the form and concrete, or within the foam material the form is
made of to access aboveground wood. Be sure to follow recommended construction
practices and building codes when using ICF construction in areas designated as high
risk for termite attack. Note that all of Mississippi is designated as “very high”
regarding the potential for unprotected buildings to be infested by termites.

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Spray-on foam insulation is commonly used to insulate walls and roofs. However, when
applied to foundation walls in crawl spaces, spray-on foam can increase risk of termite
infestation, especially when less than 6 inches above soil grade.Termites will also
tunnel through, or behind, spray-on foam insulation in walls and attics, making
detection and control more difficult. This is especially common with Formosan termites
(Figure 4).

Figure 4. Termites do not eat sprayed-on foam insulation, but they will readily tunnel
through it.

On buildings with conventional foundations, untreated wood should not be within 18

inches of soil grade and treated wood should be at least 6 inches above grade.
Crawl spaces should be at least 18 inches high to allow proper access for termite
inspections and treatments as well as for other maintenance and repair (see your local
building code).

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Be sure exterior window ledges are properly installed and sealed to exclude rainwater.
Window ledges should be sloped slightly away from the bottom of the window, rather
than being level or sloping toward the bottom of the window. Other points where water
may enter the building, such as roof and chimney flashing and plumbing and electrical
penetrations in the roof, should also be well sealed. Moisture due to structural leaks is
a key “conducive condition” that greatly increases risk of termite attack (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Storm damaged flashing on this apartment building allowed water to leak
into second story walls, resulting in a heavy Formosan termite infestation.

Be sure termite pretreatments are applied properly and at the appropriate stage of
construction. If a liquid termiticide pretreatment is used, be sure the horizontal barrier
portion of the pretreatment is applied after all forming and other preparation for pouring
the slab is completed but before the vapor barrier is put in place. Any soil disturbance
that occurs after the liquid termiticide has been applied and before the slab is poured
will create gaps in the horizontal barrier where termites can potentially enter the
building.
For buildings on which a liquid termiticide pretreatment is used, be sure the second
part of the pretreatment, the exterior perimeter treatment or vertical barrier portion, is
applied within a year of the date the construction is finished. Failure to apply this
second half of the liquid termiticide pretreatment will result in a building that is
highly susceptible to termite infestation. Beginning in 2008 pest control companies
are required to place a sticker on the building’s electricity meter that shows when this
final, exterior perimeter portion of the termite pretreatment was applied.

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Dr. Blake Layton, Extension Entomology Specialist
Department of Entomology, Mississippi State University
Phone: 662-325-2960
Email: blake.layton@msstate.edu

News

Costly termites are best prevented, not treated

Filed Under: Termites September 29, 2022

The word “termite” strikes fear in the hearts of homeowners because this insect is the most
economically damaging pest in Mississippi, is very common and requires constant vigilance.
Blake Layton, entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the
cost of termites is so large that it is hard to pin down.

How to Distinguish Termites from Ants

Filed Under: Insects, Termites January 20, 2022
Can you tell the difference between a termite and an ant? Termites and ants share a number
of similar physical characteristics, and it can be hard to distinguish between the two at first
glance. Since termites can be active long before they are properly identified, mistaking them
for ants could be a costly error!

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3 Tips to Protect Your Home from Termites When Landscaping

April 2, 2019
Termites are probably not something you consider when you are gardening. But many
landscaping tasks, including digging and mulching, can put your home at risk for termite
damage. (Photo by Blake Layton)

Learn more about bugs with Bug’s Eye View

July 31, 2018

Mississippi has an abundance of bugs, especially in the warmer months. We are all familiar
with mosquitoes, bumblebees, and house flies. But I bet there are bugs around your house
and yard that you can’t identify. (Photo by Blake Layton)

Termite technician training facility construction begins

April 10, 2018

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Officials with the Mississippi State University Extension Service broke
ground on a termite application training facility alongside pest control industry sponsors
during a ceremony April 6.

The Termite Technician Training Facility, or T3F, will be located near the Mississippi Horse
Park in Starkville and is scheduled to be completed in early 2019.

more news

Success Stories

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Development Direction

Volume 5 Number 2
A dream of the Mississippi Pest Control Association and the Mississippi State University
Extension Service is coming true after more than 20 years, thanks to a generous donation by
one of Mississippi’s oldest pest-control companies.

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