Termites and Termite Control

Termite Biology

Termites are small insects of the order Isoptera who eat wood. With the help of bacteria that they carry in their guts, they are able to convert the cellulose component of wood (the part that give wood it's structural strength) into simple sugars that the termites can use for energy. Termites are the only known animals who are capable of doing this.

There are many species of termites, but the ones that are a problem in the Akron area are eastern subterranean termites. As the name implies, these termites live in the soil. Because they would quickly dehydrate in the open air, they spend their entire lives, except when feeding, underground. They build mud shelter tubes to travel between the soil and the wood they are feeding on; and these "termite tubes" are often the first visible evidence that a home is infested with termites.

Termites lived in highly developed colonies with a distinct caste system initially composed of the queen, the king, and the first generation of workers. As the colony grows, soldiers and supplemental reproductives also appear; and a mature colony will produce alates, or winged reproductives who will leave the colony in the hope of establishing new ones of their own. To learn more about termite castes, please click here.

Termite Damage

Every year, termites cause many millions of dollars in damage to wooden homes and other structures. Termites damage wood by eating it, and left untreated, can literally reduce the structural wood of a home to sawdust. They also have been known to attack wood flooring, furniture, musical instruments, books, and almost anything else that contains cellulose.

Because termites live in the soil, wood at the bottom of a structure, such as the sill plate and joists, are particularly prone to termite damage. These structural members are also among the most difficult and expensive to replace since the house basically sits on them. That's why it's important to select a termite treatment company based on the quality of the work they do and the materials that they use, not simply on price. A few dollars saved now may cost tens of thousands down the road.

Termite Control

Innovative Pest Management offers three termite control methods. All three are effective, but each has its advantages. Which one is right for you depends on your property, the extent of your termite problem, and your personal preferences. (In some cases, a combination approach may be used.)

1. Liquid Treatment

We provide liquid soil treatment for subterranean termites using any of several effective, EPA registered termiticides. For most jobs, our termiticide of choice is Termidor, but we also use other products if requested by a customer or if they are a better choice for a particular job.

Termidor is a state-of-the-art non-repellent termiticide. Unlike older, repellent products, Termidor is invisible to termites. They can't see it, taste it, or smell it. So termites freely forage through Termidor-treated soil and spread the product throughout their nest, eliminating the entire colony.

For more information about Termidor, please click here.

2. Termite Baiting using the Advance Termite Baiting System

In some situations, termite baiting may be a more appropriate solution to your termite problem, or you may simply prefer a baiting approach to a liquid treatment. Innovative Pest Management offers the Advance Termite Baiting System by Whitmire, which we believe to be the most effective termite baiting system available.

For more information about termite baiting, please click here.

3. Borate Wood Treatment

Boric acid is an extremely low-hazard product that is produced from Borax, a naturally occurring substance that is plentiful in the environment. Boric acid has been used as an insecticide for generations because of its extremely low risk to humans and its effectiveness against a wide variety of insects.

We use several boric acid products to directly treat wood that is vulnerable to termite and other wood-destroying insect damage. Boric acid is most often used in combination with liquid treatment or baiting.