How to Get Rid of Termites in Your Garden
Learn about several ways you can get rid of termites in your garden.
19/12/2019
Termites occur naturally in soils. They feed on cellulose, which is available across the globe. You will find them near their food sources including wood and plant roots. When building structures in your yard, experts recommend using termite-resistant wood.
At times, it's difficult to know when termites strike. They may start feeding on plants, wood, and other wood-based materials without a direct indication that they're present. To detect termites, look for damaged wood and tunnels using a pocketknife. You may find mud tunnels, swarming termite behaviors, termite wings, and hollow wood. If you find any of these signs, start looking for the termite nests for extermination.
Learn about several ways you can get rid of termites in your garden.
Use Liquid Termite Barrier
Liquid termite barriers are good for killing termites and preventing them from entering your home. You should spray the liquid termite barrier around your home so that the termites can be killed upon contact.
Liquid termite barriers are commonly used at the foundation of a building, but they can only accommodate wooden structures, woodpiles, and tree stumps. You can inquire about the best liquid termite barrier from a pest control expert.
Apply Poisoned Baits
Poisoned baits are pesticides that contain a mixture of sweet food and toxic substances that kill termite colonies. You place the termite baits around their colonies and your home. Baits are normally less costly and work faster.
Once the termites take the poisoned baits to their colonies, the poison should start working to kill the colonies. However, you should examine the baits to determine whether the termites have been attracted to and have started to eat the bait.
Introduce Nematodes
Nematodes are cheap and easily accessible roundworms that feed on termites. When sprayed on termite colonies, the nematodes reproduce and seek out other termites to feed on. They are incredibly efficient at finding termite colonies. However, to work effectively, you need to spray the nematodes near termite holes.
Remove Firewood and Other Wood Material
As a preventive measure to deter termites, you should keep wood, cardboard, cellulose, and other wood-based material such as tree roots away from garden spaces around your house. Termites are likely to move from woodpiles into your house if not exterminated early. Treat the mulch in garden beds by your front door to prevent termites from being attracted to it.
Work With Boric Acid
Boric acid is available in powder form. It acts on most insects including termites by affecting their digestive and metabolic systems. After exposure, termites will take three to seven days to die.
Boric acid is less toxic compared to other insecticides available. To get started, mix the boric acid powder with sugar and water to attract the termites. Termites will take the boric acid back to their colony, ultimately killing the entire colony.
Each year, termites are estimated to cause billions of dollars of damage to structures in the United States. They work day and night to destroy property. To keep termites under control in your garden, seek expert pest extermination services when you notice a termite infestation.