When it comes to striking fear into the hearts of homeowners in Atlanta and the southeast, the thought of a significant termite infestation reigns supreme for many. Considering your largest investment being consumed from the inside out is enough to make you sit bolt upright in the middle of the night, consumed by cold sweat. The key, as is true for any pest, is to understand how they operate, and most importantly, how they sustain themselves.
Here is a breakdown of termite bait stations and the importance of pest control from the lawn care experts at Nature’s Turf in Georgia.
What Is A Termite Base Station?
Termite bait stations are specially designed housings that are strategically placed around susceptible structures, filled with cellulosic materials that appeal to subterranean termites. We’ve all seen the familiar flat disks around the foundation of a home, and likely asked what they were the first time we saw them. Those relatively flat protrusions are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg and a key feature for the design of the bait station and its function.
The design of a termite bait station is strategic and time-tested. A flat exposed surface with a flange allows the station to be visible and easily serviceable while remaining out of harm’s way from maintenance like mowing and doesn’t detract from the beauty of the structure they’re meant to protect. Beneath that flange is the business end of the bait station. The subterranean cylinder meets termite populations where they’re likely to seek a food source. They are porous and vented, allowing the baits to be attractive, and allowing termites access to the bait.
Why Would I Want to Attract Termites?
Termites are everywhere, and your home looks like one of those big buffet-style restaurants. The goal of a bait system is to be the part of the buffet where they cut the prime rib. What I mean by that analogy, is that termites, like any pest, need a place to live and food to eat. They exist in nature all around our homes and structures, whether during the creation of new colonies or in the transition of seasons, venture out looking for both. A wooden structure is an incredibly tempting proposition.
The goal of a bait station is absolutely to attract termites, but they don’t bring termites to your home. Instead, their initial goal is to draw their focus away from your home and to the bait stations themselves. Just like your favorite portion of a buffet catches your eyes and nose, the initial objective of a bait station is to be undeniably attractive, but that’s only step one.
Do Termite Bait Stations Control Termites?
Absolutely. One-word answers are uncommon in the land of blogs, but it’s fitting in this instance. A common misconception about bait stations is that they are simply there to let your pest professionals know when there are termites present, and that is their only job. While identifying their presence is a key function for termite bait stations, it should be known that they are key tools in the integrated pest management strategy for termite colonies.
If you’ve read any of our other blogs (Our website has a large catalog of blogs dedicated to pest concerns, structural and landscape, as well as other related topics), you will know that any good pest management strategy is established by understanding the pest you aim to control. All pests need three things: themselves, a host, and a food source. These three components form the pest triangle, and designing a strategy that will interrupt or eliminate one of the legs of this triangle is the key to defeating the population.
The pest itself, in this case, is a population of termites. While it sure would be cool to get all of them in the same way you can control a small wasp nest, this is generally impossible since they are often in tunnels and chambers out of sight and reach. The host we are most concerned with is your home or other wooden structure, which not only provides refuge but also a primary food source. Since we can’t eliminate the host, we have to make something more appealing than the host. As discussed above, that is the goal of a bait station, and in that bait station is sustenance. Sustenance that strategically interrupts that leg of their triangle, and results in control of the termite population.
Termite colonies are interesting, and the way they consume food is equally intriguing. Roles split their large colonies, and some of that subdivision is based on how they feed their large and ever-growing populations. Mature worker termites have enzymes in their stomachs capable of digesting the wood fibers they consume. Since immature termites don’t have this ability, they depend on being fed by the workers. When the food source comes from a bait station, it is laced with termiticide that is then digested by the workers and shared with the colony. This means that, beyond the identification of active termites, the bait stations play an active and crucial role in the pest management strategy for termites.
Important Takeaways:
- Termites can be scary. The idea that your largest investment could be consumed from the inside out is the thing of nightmares.
- While we’ve all seen bait stations, many of us may not know that they serve a couple of key functions.
- It may seem counterintuitive to bait a pest like termites to your home, it’s actually the opposite. Termites are everywhere, so the goal is to draw them away from the home with something more appetizing.
- Since the way termites consume food is dependent on sharing digested cellulosic materials, targeting populations with termiticide-laced material from a bait station is not only key to indicating them, but also crucial to integrated pest management strategy.
Understanding termites and their habits is crucial for successful pest management, especially in warm, wet climates like Georgia. Nature’s Turf provides comprehensive pest control services to protect homes from these and other intrusive pests like Silverfish, roaches, ants, and more. For more information, contact us at 770-461-4156 or email us at info@naturesturf.com. Explore the advantages of partnering with Nature’s Turf – your trusted strategic ally for residential pest control.
