Termites, Simple prevention.

I am a licensed Pest Control contractor, of many years experience, and I am writing this because I want to help people avoid the expenses sometimes imposed on unwary people, who may be persuaded to buy expensive treatments, or devices, they don't need. I have encountered many elderly people who have been taken advantage of in this way, and I think it is wrong that they are targeted. So here are some commonsense ideas about termite control to think about:Firstly, understand that these creatures are just insects, and therefore generally behave predictably. Their function in nature after all, is to recycle timber, and it may well be our mistake to build houses in their part of the environment for them to recycle. The house is the real problem, not the termite!Secondly, The cheapest form of pest control is a trip to the library, to find out about termites and other insect pests. Because they have such a simple and predictable nature, it is not complicated to learn what aspects of the environment attract them, and either use that to an advantage to make traps, or to avoid making your property so attractive to them. Ususally they need Moisture, Warmth, Food and Dark.Thirdly, If you want to know whether there are termites near your property, then put out the ideal meal for them in a location where you can inspect it easily and treat them before they get to your house. What is the ideal meal for a termite? Termites like soft wood, like oregon or pine (that hasn't been treated) and corrugated cardboard. Alternatively, use the sort of timber that you may see that has already been atttacked on the ground. Pack thin strips of the timber and cardboard tightly upright in an old plastic flower pot with holes in the base, and bury it up to the rim in a place where the soil is moist, preferably away from the house. Put a lid of solid material over the top to keep out light and heat. Inspect it regularly, every month or so, and if termite activity is found, don't disturb it. Now is the time to make enquiries about powder termiticides, that can be obtained for you by a licenced Pest controller, who will be able to advise how to dust the termites with the powder. There are safer chemicals available to do this with these days, but they do take some months to wipe out the whole colony. It is obviously cheaper to have several traps like this around your house, then to have to pay thousands of dollars when it is too late. Finally, if you're building a house, buy a copy of the Australian Standard on Termites and building ( AS3660), and consider building with materials that termites don't eat. eg Glass, Steel, Earth. Stone.etc.