Common Myths about Termite Control

alone, every year, these tiny insects cause more than a billion dollars-worth of property damage. Though termites are extremely common as pests, there are a number of misconceptions about their characteristic traits and how best to treat them. In many instances, property owners fail to prevent major termite damage because of these misconceptions.  This is why effective termite control demands that these myths are debunked. 

Discussed below are the most common myths about termites and real facts that that you need to know to stay safe from them. 

• • It is often said that termites are part of the ant family. In Australia, termites are often referred to as white ants. It is true that they look similar to ants, but they do not belong to the same Order. Ants belong to the family Formicidae within the Order Hymenoptera. On the other hand, termites belong to various families in the infraorder Isoptera, within the Order Blattodea. They have significantly distinct characteristics and the techniques used for ant control simply don’t work for termites. 

• Another common misconception about termites is that it is easy to identify a termite infestation. However, unfortunately, this is far from the reality. In most instances, significant damage is done by the time termite infestations are spotted. This is why regular professional inspections are essential to stay safe from termites. 

• Some people believe that a single termite treatment provides long-term protection from termites. It would have been great if this was true, but it is not. If you are looking for a permanent solution to this problem, you will need an ongoing management program.

• Different types of do-it-yourself methods have now gained immense popularity and many property owners are more than willing to try out these DIY methods for termite control. However, it is important to note that termite treatment is a specialised job that should only be performed by trained professionals. Use of DIY methods is more likely to increase your extermination costs in the future because the problem will get worse by the time the pros are called. 

• Another common myth is that termite colonies are destroyed by deforestation. In reality, however, when termites are displaced, new colonies are established, often in urban areas. Therefore, if you are moving to a new house where land clearing was done recently, a professional termite inspection must be carried out before moving in. 

• According to some people, termites are strong enough to eat through concrete. This is another common myth about termites. However, concrete often fail to prevent termites from reaching a building’s wooden parts. Small cracks may be present in concrete slabs, especially around penetration points, and termites can enter through these cracks. Therefore, regular termite inspection is essential, even if you have a concrete slab dwelling.

• Often times, we make the mistake of believing that termites can be killed simply by spraying the ground and other surfaces around a building. However, the right approach is to focus on eliminating the entire colony. Spraying the ground may kill thousands of termites, but there can be as many as a million insects in a colony. 

If you still have any doubts about termite control, please get in touch with us at Exterra. Our non-toxic termite bait stations can provide full protection from all types of termite activities.

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