Termites can cause major damage if they make their way into your home, so it's important to be proactive when it comes to treatment. Bait systems, which use small baited stations around the perimeter of the home, are one way to control termites safely.

1. Safety

Unlike full home treatments or liquid treatments, which can leave behind toxic residue, bait stations are safe for children and pets that play in the yard. The stations can't be accessed by curious fingers or paws, so kids and pets can't get to the bait inside. Further, the bait is designed to only act on insects so it won't kill or harm any of the small mammals that may call your property home.

2. Preventative

Bait stations prevent termites from ever making it to your home. If a colony begins to encroach on your actual home structure, they will first take the easy food in the bait station. This will then destroy the entire colony before they can migrate to your walls, thus protecting your home from any termite damage. Preventing an infestation is much more cost-effective than trying to eradicate termites after they get into your home.

3. Low-Maintenance

There is only minor maintenance necessary to keep a bait station functioning. The stations do need to be checked periodically. If the bait has been taken, then they will need to be replaced with fresh bait stations. Otherwise, some of the termites may survive and once the bait is gone, they will try to invade your home next. Other than monitoring and possible replacement, there is no further maintenance necessary.

4. Durable

Liquid treatments need to be redone periodically, but the bait in a bait station can last for years. In fact, the bait loses none of its toxicity as it ages and the food portions stay just as enticing to termites. Other than the low fee for monitoring, there are no expensive or recurring application fees when it comes to a termite bait station. You can rest assured that your home is always well protected against termites for as long as the bait is in place.

5. Targeted

Baiting provides targeted termite control. There is no concerns about collateral damage with bait since it doesn't attract any other insect or mammal to the station. Only those termites that are encroaching too closely to your living structures are at risk of being baited and destroyed.

Contact a pest control company to learn more about termite bait systems.