Defeating Your Home’s Tiniest Enemy— DrywoodTermites (NAPSA)—There’s a_ tiny enemythat can infiltrate the wood in your home and, if unchecked, damage the structural integrity beyondrepair. There are two basic types of termites—subterranean and drywood—and they team up to cause $5 billion in property damages annually.' While the majority of damage is caused by subterranean termites, drywood termites in the southern and coastal regions of the U.S., primarily Florida, California and Hawaii, are of particular concern. Drywood Termite Basics As their name implies, drywood termites exist entirely in their food source, dry wood. That means they'll consume anything from wooden doors, porches and door frames to cupboards and entertainmentcenters. A new drywood colony forms when flying male and female “swarmer” termites leave an established colony and seek a new home. The swarmers break off their wings, enter the wood through a crack or hole, mate and begin feed- ing. Thereis no limit to the number of colonies that can infest a home. Warning Signs Drywood termites provide warnings for homeowners, so keep an eye out for the following signs of drywood termite activity: e Discarded swarmer wings nearan infestation. Piles of tiny fecal pellets that look like gritty sawdust (called frass). Hollow wood, which can be located by tapping lightly with a screwdriver. Whole-structure Fumigation If your home has a drywood termite infestation, you have two options. One is “spot” treatments, including chemical injection into the suspect area and extreme heating or cooling. The other is whole-structure fumigation, which targets all air spaces, including any drywood termite tunnel in the structure. That’s key, because in most structures 80 percent of wood is hidden. Spot treatments only han- dle a localized infestation and not unknown colonies elsewhere. Whole-structure fumigation, using Vikane gas fumigant from Dow AgroSciences, is the only proven way to ensure complete eradica- tion of all infestations. It is also the preferred treatment method in areas of high drywood termite pressure—local residents have seen enough homes tented for fumigation to trust that whole- structure fumigation will take care of their termite problem for good. The gas gets into every air space, then disperses without leaving a residue. Think your home may be infested with drywood termites? Contact a fumigation professional or visit www.termitetenting.com. Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Vikaneis a federally Restricted Use Pesticide. Always read and follow label directions. ' National Pest Management Association 2005.
