How to Get Rid of Termites
Termites mainly feed on cellulose which is a natural fibre that gives them nutrients to live. Cellulose is found on wood, plants, grass, and things made from trees or plants like paper and cardboard.
In the process of looking for and consuming them, these insects can destroy your home’s wooden structure and furniture, as well as landscaping outside, which will lead to very costly repairs.
Malaysian homes can be infested by either dampwood, drywood, or subterranean termites. Luckily, there are certain ways of getting rid of them on your own or with the help of a pest control expert.
So, we’ll be showing you just how to do that using natural and safe methods with this guide to stop them immediately. If you’re all set, let’s go!
The Different Types of Termites
Before you try to remove or obliterate the termites, it’s vital to know the different types of termites, where they live, and what type of damage they can cause.
With this, you’ll be able to use the best termite solution based on the kind and extent of termite problem you have.
Here are the three types of termites you may be dealing with right now.
- Dampwood termites – Belonging to the Kalotermitidae and Hodotermitidae families, they live within wooden structures like walls and trees and especially like to stay and consume decaying wood.
- Drywood termites – One of its species is called swarmers or alates which have two sets of long wings. They belong to the Kalotermitidae family.
Drywood termites are distinct from the other types in that they live in all sorts of wood, such as structural timber, hardwood flooring, and decayed wood. However, they don’t need water to survive.
- Subterranean termites – As their name suggests, they live under the soil and form termite colonies. They travel from place to place and leave bulging mud tubes on their path.
They belong to the Rhinotermitidae family in which its soldier termites are smaller in size than the other two types.
What’s more, their pronotums, which are the segments behind the head, are smaller than their heads, while other drywood and dampwood termites have equal head and pronotum sizes.
How to Get Rid of Termites
With that in mind, below are how you can get rid of the relentless termites in a natural and non-toxic way:
1) Feed them to nematodes
Parasitic nematodes are a type of roundworms that feed on insects on a grass surface or in the soil like ants and termites.
You simply need to free them in termite-infested places and they will do all the work for you. There’s no artificial chemical involved here and this is considered an organic method.
Another advantage is that you can easily get nematodes from nurseries, fishing shops, or online. You can set up a trap with nematodes on it so you won’t have to go look for them in your house afterwards.
2) Spray a vinegar solution
To create an effective and natural termite spray, mix about 118ml of vinegar with some pure lemon juice in a spray bottle. Then, go to the infested area and spray the solution onto the colony.
The strong acidic effect of the mixture will kill these critters instantly and send the others on their way. It’s a lot better than pesticides which are toxic to humans, animals, and the planet.
3) Make a cardboard trap
Another way you can relocate and wipe out the termites is to make a cardboard trap.
For this, simply get several cardboard boxes, stack them in the infested area, and douse them with water. The reason is that termites thrive in moist surroundings and they feed on cardboard which contains cellulose.
It shouldn’t take long now before they fly out from the wall or furniture to consume the cardboard. Once a lot of them are feeding simultaneously, take the box outside and place it under the sun, or if it’s not daytime, just burn the boxes.
4) Sprinkle borax around the affected place
Apart from being used for washing clothes and cleaning the house, borax or sodium borate is super-lethal to termites. When ingested, it hinders the pest’s digestive system which will kill them.
All you have to do is sprinkle an appropriate amount around the affected area and see it work its magic in eliminating termites one by one. It’s an instant solution that is regarded as one of the most effective methods for getting rid of them.