Termites are well-organized insects, their life is really social. Every group of insects has special jobs to do for the whole colony.
More than that, termites are great helpers in the forest. As a small part of nature, they consume wood from fallen trees.
If there are no termites, it will take a great time for these trees to decompose. Termites and some other organisms also help to break down the timber really fast. As you see, their role in nature is great.
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- What is fipronil?
- How it works?
- Products
- Fipronil termite treatment
- How can I be exposed to fipronil?
- How it changes the environment?
- Useful articles
- Conclusion
But if termites come to your yards and into houses, that’s a real disaster. Unfortunately, termites can see no difference between wood in the forest and in your house. So, they start ingesting wood and cellulose, turning any place into a remarkable mess.
A termite colony can cause a great damage. So, you should act quickly to get rid of them. Pest control companies can offer you a variety of different methods. The choice is up to you.There are some chemicals that help to cope with termites and some others destroying pests. One of such products is fipronil. Let’s see what is it, how and when you can use it and whether it is safe enough.
What is fipronil?
Fipronil is an insecticide that can be used to control various insects, about 12 species including termites.
The product’s main use is to control termites in different structures, but it is also used in baits in lawns in granule form.
Other insects that can be controlled with the help of fipronil are ants, beetles, cockroaches, fleas, ticks, mole crickets, thrips, rootworms, weevils and more.
It is a white powder that possesses a moldy odor.
This insecticide was firstly registered for use in the USA in 1996, quiet a young one.
How it works?
Termites and other insects are killed when they eat fipronil or get in contact with it. The main effect of the product is to disrupt the main functions of insects’ central nervous system. Some people are frightened with such effect and they wonder whether fipronil is safe for family members and pets.
The idea is that fipronil is much more toxic to insects than to people and animals, because the chemical is more likely to bind to the nerve endings of insects.Here you can learn more information about another effective termite control remedies: Bora-Care, Boric acid, Borate, Chlorpyrifos, Chlordane, Borax, Timbor, Termidor and Terminator.
Products
While you are searching any info about fipronil you can find out that it is used in a number of products. There are granules for grass, gel baits, liquid products, spot-on-per products and even more. You can get that there are more than 50 products containing fipronil.
Fipronil is the main element in such brand products as Regent and Termidor. They are traditional ways of barrier treatment for termites.
The most popular product using fipronil is made by BASF. It is really widely used. This product was tested in a great number of countries in the world. It eliminates termites both by contact and ingestion.
The study of American scientists showed that termites were not only repelled by fipronil, they were also killed in the areas where insecticide was applied.
Check out the products of such giants as Bayer – Termite Killer Concentrate and Granules; and Spectracide – Termite Killer concentrate, sprayer, foam and Baiting stakes.
Fipronil termite treatment
The fipronil works and does its best to kill the termites.
Anyway, scientists inform all homeowners, that they should use it only with a pest control specialist.
The idea is that termites can live in a number of places in your house.
Only an expert can find out for sure where they can be. For homeowners that’s really difficult.
After you know the places where termites are, a professional should apply fipronil. To reach the best effect, this product should be placed in correct locations.
If in any way you are using fipronil independently, be very careful, follow instructions on label and try to avoid exposure. If exposure happens, you should follow the label instructions or First Aid instructions really carefully.
For special advice contact the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If you want to discuss any problem of this pesticide, please call 1-800-858-7378.Here you can learn more information about effective treatment method called tenting (fumigation): dangers for termites, preparing for fumigation and cleaning after, how long does this procedure last?
How can I be exposed to fipronil?
A person using fipronil can be exposed to it in four different ways:
- the chemical contacts your skin;
- it contacts your eyes;
- you breathe fipronil in;
- you swallow it.
Contact with skin and eyes can happen while you are using fipronil. If you use fipronil for pets, to get rid of flea and ticks, they can be also exposed. You may swallow some product if you don’t wash your hands after using it.
To minimize the chances of exposure you should read the product label really carefully and follow what it says.
Brief exposure to fipronil is not really dangerous but it should better be avoided. Short contacts with skin can cause skin irritation. If a person eats fipronil, he can experience headache, vomiting, sweating, weaknesses and pains in stomach and so on. Signs of brief fipronil exposure do not last long, people start feeling better without special treatment.
How it changes the environment?
In the soil microorganisms break fipronil down into a number of small chemicals.
The sunlight is able to break it down on the surface.
So, fipronil is able to break down in soil, half of its amount goes away for about 125 days.
This process is called the “half-life” of the insecticide. The product sticks to soil rather tightly and doesn’t mix with water well.
Through the reaction with water, dip robin breaks down to a number of small chemicals. That’s why water starts being less acidic.
Scientists haven’t proved yet that fipronil or its products are able to evaporate from water and soil into the air. If fipronil gets into plants, it breaks down partially. On plants surface the sun breaks it down.According to scientists’ research, fipronil is highly toxic to both freshwater and sea fish and invertebrates.
Other experiments showed that this chemical is toxic to some birds, but not to ducks. Different species react to it differently. So, it is highly toxic to bees, but not – to earthworms.
Useful articles
If you interested in more information of termites we recommend you to read the following articles:
- All types of termites. Are they harmful to humans? Can they bite you? And what is the difference between drywood and subterranean ones?
- What does swarmers of different species look like: drywood, subterranean, formosan?
- Signs of infestation outside and in the house: in walls or furniture.
- What does termite holes look like? What is droppings and is it toxic to humans? Do termites make noises?
- Posible termite damage, how does it look like? Examples of damage in walls and wood floors.
- All about flying termites: how do they look like, swarming season and what to do if there are swarmers in your house?
- How do they do nests and mounds? How to find it in your garden or inside the house?
- Termite life cycle – from egg to larvae. And social hierarchy: workers, soldiers, queen.
Conclusion
Termites can be really dangerous and destroying. Homeowners should get rid of them by any appropriate method. Now you can decide whether fipronil termites control is what you need or not and are you going to use it.
Fipronil is one of the most popular pesticides because it works slowly and is undetectable. These qualities are great, because you can use it as termite bait or liquid.
When you use it as termite bait, you mix the poison with the cellulose termites like eating. Worker termites carry this poisoned food to the nest to share with others. During liquid treatment you apply poison to the soil near the house.
People should use fipronil really carefully, to minimize the harmful effect on nature. Do not forget to call for specialists when you decide to use it against annoying insects.
