Natural Termite Control Methods
Termites can cause considerable damage to your home and its structure, often resulting in thousands of dollars in repair costs. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to protect your home from termites, naturally. It’s always best to schedule a professional termite inspection and treatment, but in the meantime, you can try these natural termite control methods:
- Cardboard Traps — Termites are attracted to cardboard, which makes them an effective trap. Set some cardboard in the infested areas, wait for the termites to infest the cardboard, and then take it outside and dispose of it. This isn’t a perfect solution, but it will reduce their numbers.
- Sunlight — Termites live underground and are very susceptible to sunlight. If possible, get the sun to shine onto the affected areas of your home. This is often not possible in many situations, but if you’re lucky, this can be an effective method.
- Diatomaceous Earth — This unique substance made up of fossilized algae has several different uses, including the elimination of certain pests. This natural sand is harmless to humans but will pull moisture out of a termite’s body, making it impossible for the creature to survive.
- Nematodes — Also known as roundworms, these tiny creatures are very effective in fighting against many types of pests. They will attack termites by injecting deadly bacteria into them or by burrowing into their bodies in order to feed on them.
- Boric Acid — Once a termite has digested a bit of boric acid, it prevents them from pulling nutrients from whatever they’re eating. After a short period of time, the termite will starve to death.
- Cayenne Pepper — This is an easy method for killing termites using an ingredient found in almost every kitchen! Cayenne pepper severely damages a termite’s nervous system, quickly killing it. Simply sprinkle the pepper generously in the infected areas and wait for it to do its job.
- Neem Oil — This wonderful form of pest control interrupts a termite’s reproductive system and has the unique effect of the insect forgetting to eat or mate. As a bonus, termites don’t like the odor of neem oil, so it also keeps them away from areas that have been treated with it.
- White Vinegar — Another very simple termite control method is to mix together the juice from two lemons and a half cup of white vinegar into a spray bottle. Then, simply spray the concoction on any mud tubes or mounds that you find for a few days in addition to the wooden structures.
- Orange Oil — Like other natural pest control methods, orange oil is safe for both humans and pets. In order to apply the orange oil properly, you may need to drill holes in the infested areas or into the mud tubes. This is mostly used for above-ground infestations.
- Table Salt — If you have a small termite infestation, then you can try table salt. This is done by combining salt in a jar of warm water and mixing it up. Then, use a syringe to inject the mixture into the infected areas, particularly the entry or exit points.
Signs of a Termite Infestation
If you want to avoid a termite infestation with any of the above natural termite control, it’s important you first learn the signs that there’s a problem.
Here are the most common warning signs of termites in your home:
- Bubbling Paint — As termites ingest wood, this often causes paint to either peel or bubble up. If you notice either of these problems, start looking for other signs of termites.
- Mud Tubes — These are the conduits through which certain types of termites travel. This is often one of the most obvious telltale signs of an infestation.
- Termite Feces — As with many other pests, it’s very common to come into contact with termite feces. Also known as “frass,” it looks like a pile of sawdust.
- Discarded Wings — Another obvious sign of a termite problem is finding discarded wings. This will typically occur very close to wherever the termites have set up shop.
- Hollow Wood — Often regarded as one of the scariest signs of an infestation, finding hollow wood means you need to act fast. If you see other signs, you should go around and knock on any area that you suspect may be affected.
Contact ProHealth Pest Control for Natural Termite Control
ProHealth Pest Control uses natural termite control methods to eliminate the threat that these insects pose to your home or business. If you have any questions about our residential or commercial pest control services or would like to schedule a free consultation, reach out to our team today by calling (727) 308-3470.