Found a swarm coming into our house around one of our front windows/around the base boards. We have a local exterminator coming out to take a look. We had a heavy rain earlier in the week so I know they are moving around. We are in central Texas so termites are common. I have just never seen any in our house and in large numbers. They are definitely not winged ants.

Any advice on things to do and not to do for those that have more knowledge on the subject? Best treatment options, things that are not worth it ect.....

Have you had a barrier treatment? If not, you should. This is the time of year these buggers leave home. Apparently they are leaving yours as well. It could be that the colony just has a tunnel and it's under your house. Personally, I'd get a few estimates for termite treatment and inspection and go with it.

Termites are like leg cramps. You stick around long enough, everyone gets them.

Our home was built in the 1870s and never had a formal treatment. There is termite dirt in the rafters of my roof. We got a treatment with whatever the Termidor competitor is and have had no issues since. For barns and exposed wood structures, I self treated with BoraCare and that too has solved the problem.

If it is after a rain i'd assume it is formosan termites. Go find the dead tree and spray!

Look into the yearly ground plugs for your house and install them yourself. Same **** the pest control companies charge 5x as much for.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/255224029635

Make a outside home barrier and use Taurus SC. Can also keep Taurus SC on hand for spray applications as needed.

BurnetAggie99 said:

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Make a outside home barrier and use Taurus SC. Can also keep Taurus SC on hand for spray applications as needed.

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This - but it's a lot of work.

You can find out more about this product at diypestcontrol.com, but I'm sure a quick search will provide a few more places.

C

Here's few videos on Taurus SC. Also Navigator SC is newer option that is little cheaper in 78 Ounce bottle. Same active ingredients

https://www.domyown.com/taurus-sc-termiticide-p-1816.html





https://www.domyown.com/taurus-sc-termiticide-p-1816.html#gallery-5

This TaurusSC is a nukular bomb for crawlies. I put it down over the whole yard after kid got tore up by fireants & I had zero bugs for 12+ months after. No ants, no spiders, no doodlebugs, no nothing, I realize it's overkill, but man it surprised me.

I did that with Malithion years ago because of fleas. It was like silent spring for about a year. Nothing was alive.

Thanks for the advice so far. We have had two companies come out to take a look. Both local (not national chains) and both confirmed termites.

The first company recommended trenching around the entire house and in areas that can't be trenched to drill and place termidor he +/- treating around areas where water/electric enter inside the house.

The second company recommended trenching in just two areas around the house and using a different agent followed by placing bait stations.

We have a third company coming out later today (also local). I usually do most things around the house myself but this time I am going to let the professionals handle it (if we ever sell our home it makes it easier with a "warranty" from the exterminators). We are leaning toward going with the 1st company as it seems the more "complete" treatment option. Surprisingly it is about the same cost or a actually a little cheaper. We will see what the third company presents.

Is trenching and drilling around the entire home necessary (company #1)? Likewise is just trenching around the active infestation and then bait stations enough (company #2)? I feel company 1 may be a little overkill but when it comes to termites I would rather be more aggressive. Thoughts?

Bought our house and it had the small holes drilled in the patio. Original owner said it was from a termite treatment (no termites, just a treatment). This was done in the 70s, so I am sure it was the long lasting chemicals.

If I knew I actually had termites, I would do the #1 selection. Might as well go a little overkill to eliminate them from the whole house. Going forward, I would self treat as well, just to make sure.

Good luck, always a pain.

Curious about the cost. Had a local company come out to my house today and they said we can spot treat where they are now for 350 or do the trench around the whole house for 1750. I was like holy hell. They are coming up through what must be a crack in the slab cus there are no pipes around the area. Is this something I can really do on my own? Thinking of doing the spot treatment and then do the other stuff on my own

We got 3 quotes ranging from 1800 to 2500. Our house measured 320 linear feet.

1 bottle of Taurus SC which is around $58 bucks a bottle makes 100 gallons of solution. That will treat 240 linear feet when using the trenching method application. So you will need 2 bottles. So for about little over $100 bucks in chemical cost to do your house. 1 bottle of Taurus SC will do 100,000 square feet when using the spraying method.

I did my own it's way cheaper. The trench only needs to be 6 inches wide and 6 inches deep. Used a pick axe, sharpshooter shovel and it was pretty easy. Mix up the Taurus SC and apply it to the trench around the house.

I even mix up some in my sprayer and sprayed all along the house, window seals, and so forth for other bugs, scorpions, ants and anything else.

Dabbled in pest control when I was between my "real job" gig & learned a lot.

You are wise not to use either of the two national chain companies. I worked for one of them, then an independent company. Huge difference.

When trenching, get as close as you can to your foundation and I would go no less than 6-8 inches down. I can not speak for the Taurus chemical shown above, I'm not familiar with it, but which ever one you get, make sure its not one that will break down in a year. You don't want to do this more than you have to.

BUT, I would get on it quickly. If you had a swarm that size on you house, odds are that you will have an issue soon. So the chemical above might be a good stop gap until you can form a better plan.

Kill'em all....use fire......Send It.

If they are subterranean treat them yourself. Easy to do as suggested above. If they are drywood you may have a much more serious problem.

Taurus SC is same strength and same active ingredient Fipronil 9.1% as Termidor SC. Only difference is Taurus SC is cheaper and comes in a bigger container size options. Taurus SC will last in the soil of a trenching treatment minimum 10 years and same as well for applications if you have to bore/drill to drywood.

Also I've mentioned it many times but say it again always check your water PH levels you will be using to mix whatever chemical you going to apply. You need the water PH to be neutral around 7 for most cases for the chemical 100% effective. High or low water PH is used will effect your chemical and cause it to not work. I attached a good resource below. To reduce the pH, add acetic acid (vinegar) to the spray solution in small increments. Check the pH regularly to avoid adding too much vinegar and to maintain the spray solution pH around 6.5. To increase pH, add household ammonia. Adjust pH before adding any pesticides to the container.


https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/ppp/ppp-86.pdf

I use iPest https://wacopest.com/. Fairly certain it is Aggie owned.