We frequently move the potted plants in our lawn. Sometimes, we move the plants to rearrange them or simply to sweep the area. This way, we keep the ground clean and prevent mosquitoes from breeding.
One day, this was spotted: SMALL HOLES IN THE GROUND! This means a termite colony. I have wood floors and so I am very careful with termites. We live in a high moisture area. There were termite mounds in our lot prior to our house construction. So I had my house treated against termites during construction period. It has been five years since we saw termite colony in our lot.
After the soil treatment during house construction, I also put Spectracide Terminate which are termite baits around the perimeter of the house. But the baits have to be changed every 3-6 months, or whenever the pop -up indicator comes out of the ground. It has been 2 years since I have put baits.
The small holes in the ground was actually initially seen a month ago at this same spot. When I was told about it, the househelp have already poured Solignum on the ground. I instructed them that next time they see a sign of infestation, they should not touch it and I will call a professional pest controller.
When these SMALL HOLES in the ground was again spotted, I called the pest controller, Mr. Ronnie Tijam at (033)3210574. Yes, there are over-the-counter treatment for termites. You can buy and just follow the instructions. But pest controllers have been doing this for years already and I think, they can do the job better than me. Their experience give them a keener eye to detect infestation and how to treat them.
Mr. Tijam inspected the soil and dug it. He pointed out to me that the cordoning we did last time was effective because this infestation occurred more than a foot from the wall which was outside the the cordoned area.
He had a helper with him. They dug the entire area and they found the king and queen termites. I have seen the queen termite 5 years ago. This queen termite is thinner and only a size of my pinky finger.
But I have not seen a king termite. The king is way smaller than the queen. This one is about the size of a “bangaw”, probably 1 cm in length. To effectively control the infestation, the queen should be eliminated. The queen can lay up t0 30,000 eggs in a single day! Without the queen which lays the eggs, the colony will die, effectively controlling the infestation.
He then cordoned the house perimeter. He also inspected our entire lawn to look for other areas of infestation. They did this for 1-2 hours. For me, it is worth trusting a pest controller doing the job, rather than making this a DIY.
Termites damage the house. They cannot be detected readily until damage to wood structures or furnishings are seen. To protect your house, there should be regular inspection of the house for termite activity. Always be in the look out for termite activity in the interior of your house like holes in wood furnishings. An examination of the outside area should also be included. Inspect areas where there is high moisture content like frequently flooded areas and those with downspouts and leaking faucets and pipes. Areas with wood like flower planters and trellises and those with wood debris are also particularly prone to termites.
Do not let termites destroy your house. There are many products in the market that can be used to protect your house from termites. Use a combination of these products. But for active infestations, I think it is better to seek professional help.
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