Drywood termites harass terribly if you ignore their infestation. If you want to eradicate their nest on your own, you can make use of boracare treatment.
It is a concentrated borate based chemical with a glycol base. Glycol is an alcohol that helps the chemical to infiltrate 4 inches deep into the wood.
Since the termites reside inside the wood, they start consuming the chemical, which acts as a stop feed and thus result in their decease. The effect of the treatment lasts for the life of the wood.
Contents
Treatment method:
For this treatment method, you will need a 5 gallon capacity bucket, paint stirrer, paint brush or hand pump sprayer and boracare chemical. If you make use of foaming boracare then, you will need foaming solution also.
Steps:
- Use a sand paper to remove any paint or stains on the wood before your apply the chemical.
- Mix boracare chemical and water in a 1:1 ratio in a 5 gallon capacity bucket. Hot water is suggestible.
- Mix it thoroughly till all the clogs are removed and then pour the chemical in a hand pump sprayer.
- Spray the chemical or paint it on the wood, whichever is convenient.
- Repeat the coat on the wood for best results.
Drywood termites in furniture
Drywood termites reside above the soil and hence choose furniture and wooden objects to establish their colonies.
They do not need much of moisture content to survive unlike the subterranean ones do. If you observe carefully, you can surely identify if they infested your furniture. Some of the common indications include:
- Existence of piles of tiny and golden brown fecal pellets in and around the furniture.
- Fecal pellets falling directly from the entries onto the galleries.
- The feces have elongated shape, rounded on either side while 6 of its surfaces are flattened.
Drywoodtermites’ treatment options
If your furniture has already been infested, you can use preventative treatments. All of the treatments available will work to kill the termites.
However, the effect of the treatments is limited if you make use of them beyond their intended scope. Based on the coverage areas, the treatments are categorized into three types:
Whole structure
This type of treatment covers the complete structure that is infested by the drywood termites, for instance it can be complete house.
The best and only method available for this type is ‘Fumigation’. In United States, methyl bromide has been phased out and hence sulfurylfloride took its place.
In this method, the structure that has to undergo treatment is surrounded by a gas-tight tarpaulin. Inside this seal, the gas is released for a specific predefined time to aerate the fumigant.
Since the fumigant is a gas, it works as an element of air and hence you need not clean the nearby objects.
Compartmental
This treatment covers portions of a structure like attic, bedroom, porch etc. Heat and cold treatments are the best used methods for compartmental treatments.
Heat treatment:
Heat sensitive articles should be removed and the termite affected area is cordoned off with polyvinyl or polyethylene sheets.
In areas where it is difficult to heat, high-output propane heater is used. Once the desired heating of the compartments is achieved, the areas are cooled immediately for reoccupation.
Cold treatment:
Infested wall voids are cooled with excessive cold treatments by pumping chemicals like liquid nitrogen. The area needs to be thoroughly monitored while executing the treatment in order to maintain safe oxygen levels.
Local
These treatments are specific for particular infested objects. The treatments that come under this category include wood injection, microwave, electrocution, borates and wood replacement methods.
These are very simple and most of them can be handled yourself, without seeking for a professional.
Drywood termites in attic
In poorly vented houses, the drywood termites fly into attics and start to create tunnels through cracks created by drying plaster or stucco.
The best habitat for termites is dead trees, firewood and branches. When these are cleared for constructing houses, they start to infest the constructed structures by entering the attics, natural cracks or joints in window and door frames and under wood shingles.
Drywood termite swarmers
Drywood termites swarm to establish new colony. The swarmers take flight, mate the queen and lose their wings. The mated queen finds an entry to lay eggs and thus starts to establish a new colony.
Usually the entry points include the gaps in windows or door frames, crawl spaces, under wood shingles etc. The swarming happens throughout the year to fill their distributed areas.
Drywood termite species like IncistermesSnyderi originates during spring time during nights. Other species like Incistermes Minor emerges in day time during summer and fall months in California while in Florida, they emerge throughout the year.
Conclusion
Drywood termites infest as huge colonies in wood and houses. Eradicating them is very important or else you might need to experience huge damages in your assets.
If the infestation is local then, mostly you can practice DIY methods. If the issueproliferates, you should immediately look for a professional.
