Termites are closely grouped and isolated insects that prefer to stay banded together in a colony—preferably inside of the structure they are eating. Due to this behavior, it is difficult to treat for termites in traditional ways as seen with other pests.
 There are many ways to treat against termites and one of the more popular traditional pest control treatments of spraying can be used if the application process is thorough.
5 Best Killer Sprays For Termites
What is the best termite spray? Termiticides are the main type of insecticide sprays to use against termites and ensure their elimination. Taurus SC and Termidor SC provide powerful effects with a long-lasting residual to destroy an entire colony.
- Taurus SC
- Termidor SC
- Bora-Care by Nisus
- Bifen I/T Insecticide/Termiticide for Termites
- Phantom spray for Termites
It needs to be stressed that eliminating termites can be very difficult and time-consuming, therefore, multiple products and different treatment varieties should be used in conjunction with a strong termite spray.
The application of the spray is key to ensuring that the chemicals can penetrate deep enough to reach the termites. In a recent study, it was found that the success of termite sprays is often unpredictable as termites may not find and forage in areas treated with liquid insecticides.Â
Therefore, your skill at applying the termite spray is just as important as the strength of the spray.
The success of termite sprays is often unpredictable as termites may not find and forage in areas treated with liquid insecticides.
How to Use Termite Spray
Before surveying the best termite sprays, an overview of how to correctly apply your chosen termite spray is crucial to achieving results. Termites typically invade homes through the soil below and even drywood termites may crawl from the ground below to enter a home. Even more so in preventative measures, but also during active infestations, the soil underneath and around your home needs to be saturated with a strong termiticide spray.
Using a lawn and garden sprayer, preferably one with durability and effective nozzle adjustments, such as the Vivosun 1.3 Gallon Pump Pressure Sprayer with Pressure Relief Valve, you will want to saturate the soil immediately surrounding your home with the termiticide.Â
Once the soil is imbedded with the chemical, you can then move into your home and begin looking for the signs of termite activity in wooden structures. Once you have identified infected wood, or if you decide to just begin treating all the wood, you can begin spraying the structures.
Best Termite Spray Killer Reviews
Now you know how to use and apply a termite spray, you can discover more about the individual products in the reviews below:
1. Taurus SC for Termites
Taurus SC by Control Solutions Inc. combines the powerful chemical fipronil with a long-lasting residual coating that lacks a strong scent, which can cause termites to stray from the poison. The great component of Taurus SC is undoubtedly the non-repellent quality of the product. This spray will not deter scent-sensitive termites from walking through it, which means that the efficacy of the poison will kill a colony much quicker as the termites will not even know they are crawling through the poison or eating poison-coated wood.
Once you have coated the outside and underneath soil, spraying a coat of this product on wood inside of your home will likely ensure elimination in as short as a week—if the method is followed correctly. The worker termites will crawl through the poison and eat the poison on wood, which they will also take back to the colony. Once the poison reaches the queen termite, the entire colony undergoes a death spiral over time.
Pros
- Long-lasting residual that kills for months
- Non-repellent
- Low toxicity to humans and pets
- Soaks into wood and soil
Cons
- Kills over a long period of time and not immediately
- Termites may never walk through the poison due to no attractive propert
- Potentially dangerous to the environment
2. Termidor SC for Termites
Termidor SC by BASF contains many of the same properties as Taurus but adds an innovative level of elimination by causing fipronil to be spread to the colony at a much more rapid and deadly pace. Termidor works in the same way as Taurus SC, by providing a strong residual dose of fipronil to worker termites as they crawl through it. Worker termites take the poison back to the colony, where rapid elimination occurs as the poison is spread.
Termidor SC contains a much more potent formulation of fipronil, which clings to worker termites easily due to the absence of a repellent scent. Much like a deadly pathogen, this product spreads like a plague throughout the colony. Both Taurus and Termidor SC are essentially the same chemical, but for an even quicker kill, Termidor is certainly worth the investment.
Pros
- Rapidly kills a termite colony
- Long-lasting residual
- High concentration of fipronil which increases kill time
Cons
- Increased concentration of chemical raises toxicity levels
- Termites will have to crawl through the product due to not attractive properties
- When used as a soil concentration, runoff is dangerous to aquatic organisms
3. Bora-Care for Termites
Bora-Care by Nisus is one of the more underrated termiticides on the market and offers a mixture of natural and chemical components to kill a wide variety of termites.Â
This spray contains disodium octaborate tetrahydrate—a high concentration of sodium designed to attack insect anatomy as well as a mixture of chemicals. Bora-Care works in a similar way to other termite sprays and requires a dilution with water for lawn and garden sprayers.
Pros
- Mostly natural
- Destroys mold and mildew in conjunction with termites
- Attractive scent which draws lures termites
Cons
- Residual not as strong as competitor products
- Not very effective for subterranean termites
- Low toxicity increases time it takes to destroy colony
4. Bifen I/T Insecticide/Termiticide for Termites
Bifen I/T by Bifen is one of the most popular termiticides on the market. This product uses bifenthrin from the pyrethroid family which is a highly toxic central nervous system antagonist to termites and many other pests as well.Â
Bifen I/T works by attacking the nervous system of termites and spreading the poison to the rest of the colony once an infected worker returns to the nest; the application process is similar to most sprays as it requires a heavy coating on all infested wood and the soil around your home.
Pros
- Bifenthrin is a well-trusted termiticide
- Long-lasting residual that stands up well in moist environments
- Kills many types of insects in addition to termites
- Odorless with no obvious residue
Cons
- When used as a soil application, any runoff is highly toxic to aquatic ecosystems
- Due to overuse, this product is prone to termite resistance
5. Phantom Spray for Termites
Phantom by BASF is a powerful termiticide that uses a strain of chemicals much different from more popular termiticides. Phantom contains a strong concentration of chlorphenapyr, which is a new class of insecticides that move away from the central nervous system and work by limiting the insect's ability to produce energy.
This new mechanism is a great alternative to the resistance-prone pyrethroids and Phantom works by coating the termites with the poison, which is subsequently brought back to the colony and spread.
Pros
- Bifenthrin is a well-trusted termiticide
- Long-lasting residual that stands up well in moist environments
- Kills many types of insects in addition to termites
- Odorless with no obvious residue
Cons
- When used as a soil application, any runoff is highly toxic to aquatic ecosystems
- Due to overuse, this product is prone to termite resistance
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Will Fly Spray Kill Termites?
When you are choosing to use a spray formulation to kill termites, you will want to choose a powerful termiticide made specifically for termites due to the difficulty that comes with eliminating these insects.
Although it is true that virtually any strong insecticide spray can kill termites, a fly spray would only be useful for spot treatments when stray termites are seen outside of a wood structure.Â
A fly spray will not address the problem of the colony, which burrows deep inside of wood, therefore, a fly spray is not a very effective type of insecticide to use against termites due to the lack of a strong residual.
Are Termite Sprays Better Than Dusts?
When you examine the effectiveness of a comparison between liquid and powder insecticides, you will likely see that both types of chemicals work in the same way—just in different methods of treatment.Â
A strong liquid spray will work just as well as any powder (such as Diatomaceous Earth), since both types of insecticides use residual components to kill termites. Termite sprays with residual are likely more productive at killing termites since the liquid will soak into the structures, whereas with dusts, the product can be swept or drifted away.
Will Natural Sprays Eliminate Termites?
When it comes to using natural sprays to eliminate termites, the benefits are great for the environment, since natural products leaching into soil are much better tolerated in the environment. With natural products, the time and efficacy involved in killing termites are uncertain since powerful chemicals are needed to ensure elimination.
The best you could ever hope to achieve with natural sprays against termites are using products such as vinegar as strong repellents.
Will Bleach and Vinegar Mixed with Water Kill Termites?
Bleach, as well as vinegar, are two everyday substances that will, in fact, kill termites, but the viability of these products evaporating, and degrading make them unstable. These two products can work wonders when trying to eliminate drywood termites from furniture.Â
Drywood termites seek out moisture which can be found in the water mixed with the two substances—although the smell will likely repel the termites, it is strong enough to kill them if they meet it.
In Summary
The best method to utilize to kill termites on your own is to utilize a powerful spray insecticide with a long-lasting residual. Taurus SC and Termidor SC are two of the best liquid termiticides on the market for killing termite colonies and repelling any new colonies from forming. The application process of these insecticides is crucial to ensure that a colony is eliminated.
Using a lawn and garden sprayer, be sure and coat the soil around your home and the wooden structures inside of the home to kill the active termites and the termites that reach your home from the soil underneath.Â
The strength of the residual in these products will keep the killing active for months if the chemical is left undisturbed. If you have the time and patience to attempt to kill termites on your own, these two powerful sprays are your best bet to ensure that the termites are killed and repelled from attempting to reenter your home.
Related
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Best bait stations for termites
How to kill termites
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References:
- Henderson, G., & Gautam, B., & Wang, C. (2016). Impact of ground applied termiticides. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5039556/.
- Kamble, S. (1995). Fate of insecticides used for termite control in soil. Retrieved from https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/SPEC/technical-bulletin/G95-1260%20Fate%20of%20Insecticides%20Used%20for%20Termite%20Control%20in%20Soil%20(1).pdf.
