Tip of the Day: Protect Your Home From Termites

April 20, 2011— -- You might worry about bees and ants, but you better pay equal attention to those nasty termites. Once they get in your home, they don't want to leave. So how do you know if you have them and how do you keep them out?

The best defense appears to be an offense, according to the scientists. Once the termites establish themselves with huge colonies, it's more difficult to address the problem. So the goal is to nip it early, identifying the termites as they move outward and treating colonies before they get too large. Unfortunately, the critters are pretty clever. Other termites are routinely treated by injecting poison into the ground, but Formosan termites can just move their nests above ground, thus avoiding the toxins. And not a lot of toxins are effective. The most potent treatment, chlordane, was outlawed in 1988 because it remains active in the soil for 25 years, thus posing a potential threat to human health as well as other animals. Growth regulators also keep the termites from maturing.