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Which Termiticide Should We Use?
Our preferred termiticide
for soil areas against a home is
FMC's Biflex, applied at it’s higher
application rate. It has a labelled expected protection period of at least 10
years at it's higher application rate, but the manufacturer has now achieved
over 12 years in open uncovered plots in
the CSIRO test centres without failure.
Our preferred termiticide for treating concrete by a drilling and injection technique is BASF's Termidor. Termidor is non-repellent to termites. When we treat by a drilling and injection technique, we don't know what is under the slab, and there may be materials under the slab that prevent the termiticide from forming a full and continuous barrier. When the termiticide is injected, it travels from the injection point by the easiest pathway it can find. Termites forage in the soil at random, and they too travel by the easiest pathway they can find. Not being able to sense Termidor they will most likely come into contact with it, and become affected by it. Termidor has another property of interest in that it appears to create an infection in the termites that they end up passing to other termites in the colony, and ultimately the nest. By similar testing criteria to Australia's they now have achieved over 8 years without failure. Because we can't know what is under the slab, we cannot warrant treatments by a drilling and injection treatment, but if this is the preferred treatment method, we believe Termidor has the best chance of any of the available termiticides of producing a favourable long term result. For more information on Termidor, please visit BASF's web site at http://www.agro.basf.com.au.
Bayer have a product called Premise, with the active constituent Imadacloprid. This termiticide is very safe, and does not even carry a "POISON" warning label. It is non-repellent, which is a property that can be exploited where it is difficult to form a full and continuous barrier (ideal for areas needed to be treated by a drilling and injection technique). It's down side is that it has a labelled expected protection period of just 2 years. For more information, please visit their web site at www.bayernopests.com
Dow AgroSciences have a product called Dursban, with the active constituent Chlorpyrifos. A number of generic manufacturers have copied this termiticide, and released it to the Australian Pest Control industry under a number of names. Typically the labelled expected protection periods are 10 years under slab, and 5 years as a soil perimeter. A number of concerns have been raised of chlorpyrifos in recent times, including one CSIRO study raising performance concerns in high alkaline soils (90% degradation in just 2 years). With concrete and mortar being high alkaline, and being on most building sites, it makes this issue critical.
In making your decision about what termiticide to use, please visit the web sites of each of the manufacturers. E-mail them, and ask them how they respond if termites continue in your home. If you have any difficulty in finding them, please don't hesitate to contact us, and we'll put in you in touch with their representatives.
When comparing quotations for termite work, please ask the technician what termiticide he recommends, what rate it is to be applied at, and how often it needs to be replenished. Many unfortunately will want you to "top it up" each year, despite the labelled expected protection periods available. Also make sure that Australian Standard compliant treatment certificates are to be provided, which identify what termiticide was used at what rate, and how much of it was used!
Independent Advice
With each of the termiticides, we'd encourage you to seek your own independent advice. The internet is like having the biggest library in the world in your office or study. Do a Google search on each of the termiticides at www.google.com, and you'll be amazed at the articles you'll find.
Product Support
To our view, Dow AgroSciences have been atrocious in their product support. When asked about the CSIRO report in relation to high alkaline soils after termites were found continuing at a treated property, the response (verbal and definitely not written) was that "it couldn't happen with our chemical - It must be your application". At that point, we'd gone to our full soil replacement technique. With product support like that, you can't be surprised that we don't recommend chlorpyrifos any more, and are reluctant to trust any other Dow product.
FMC's product support has not been good, but what saves them is their labelled expected protection period of at least 10 years at their higher application rate. Once again, we'd encourage you to talk to them, and ask them what they'd do in the event of termites continuing at a treated property, and use their response to form your decision on which termiticide to use at your home.
Current labelled expected protection period for the termiticides on the market are
Biflex (Bifenthrin)
250ml/100 litres = 3 years
500ml/100 litres = 10 years
1 litre/100 litres = at least 10 years
Termidor
At least 5 years
Premise (Imadacloprid)
At least 2 years
Dursban (Chlorpyrifos)
10 years under slab and 5 years as a soil perimeter
Be aware that there are some within our industry who will make re-treatment recommendations based on their own hip pocket and not yours. If your contractor wants to re-treat ahead of the labelled expected protection periods, please ask why!© Mark Porter 2004
Get it right the first time!
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