THE BAITING SYSTEM

THE BAITING SYSTEM Q. How do I know if I have a termite problem?  A. Have an Andy Howard’s pest control professional inspect your home for evidence of termites, like wood damage and mud tubes. Be sure to indicate if you are see swarming termites or discarded wings near doors and windows.  Q. What is the Baiting System?  A. The Baiting System is the most advanced form of subterranean termite control available today. It consists of a three-step process:  a) An Andy Howard’s technician will insert stations into the ground to monitor for termite activity around the perimeter of your home. b) Once termites are detected, the technician will insert bait  into the station. The termites will spread the bait's active ingredient throughout the colony. c) Colony is eliminated. Q. What is in  termite bait that eliminates termite colonies?  A. The active ingredient in the bait is hexaflumuron, an insect growth regulator (IGR). The IGR stops the termites' vital molting process, so they are unable to grow. As a result, they die.  Q. How long does it take to eliminate the colony?  A. Once the Baiting System is installed, it can take from a few weeks to several months for termites to enter the stations, depending on several factors including time of year, geography, termite pressure and termite species. Once the termites begin feeding on  termite bait, the process towards colony elimination begins. Colonies may begin to decline as quickly as four weeks, with elimination of the entire colony possible within three to five months. Please note that it's difficult to predict termites' natural behavior; therefore, the time and effort needed to achieve colony elimination may vary as well.  Q. Is Baiting effective against the kind of termites I have?  A.  Termite bait used in the Baiting System is effective against all subterranean (not dry wood) termite species in the continental U.S. and Hawaii. It works in different soil, climate and geographic conditions.  Q. Why don't the termites just go between the stations to reach my house?  A. Termites continuously search for new feeding sites, even though they may have already located an abundant food source. Termites also feed randomly among all available food sites within their foraging area. Therefore, if termites are foraging near your home, they will find and attack the monitoring devices in one or more of the stations.  Q. If my neighbors use the Baiting System, won't my house be protected, too?  A. No. Baiting can only protect structures where it's installed. It's possible that there are many colonies foraging in your neighborhood and the one that's attacking your home may not be the one attacking your neighbor's home.  Q. When the termite colony has been eliminated, will the stations be removed?  A. Once a colony has been eliminated, another one could invade your property. To keep your home protected, the Baiting stations are left in the ground and your Andy Howard’s pest control professional continues to monitor them for future invasions.