The Transfer Effect®
Termidor® kills termites through contact and ingestion. Because Termidor is non-repellent, termites unknowingly ingest the product when they eat. Also, since termites can't detect Termidor, they go about their routine activities. So even if termites are not feeding, Termidor will still kill via contact.
Thanks to Termidor's unique Transfer Effect, termites don't even need to come into contact with the treated soil to die. Termites that do come into direct contact with Termidor subsequently pick up the product on their bodies and serve as carriers who then transfer Termidor to other termites. These secondarily affected termites can also pass Termidor on through feeding or contact.
Termidor controls termite populations faster than any other termiticide, especially bait/monitoring systems, but is relatively slow acting in individual termites. Therefore, termites have ample time to spread Termidor to their nest well before dying. This is the beauty of Termidor's unique Transfer Effect.
Non-Repellency
The newest innovation in termite treatments is the use of chemicals that are non-repellent to the termites. What this means is that termites are unable to detect the chemical in the soil, unlike many older chemicals and therefore as they continue to forage through the soil, they unknowingly come in contact with these non-repellent termiticides.
The below diagram clearly shows what happens when termites come in contact with a repellent chemical barrier. The termites have foraged through the soil in all directions, including towards the chemical barrier. Upon reaching this barrier they have not entered and therefore continued to explore through the soil. The termites have continued to explore the soil until they have found the gap in the barrier, at which point they have passed through. In this instance, the chemical used in the barrier has killed none of the termites.
Similarly, in the Termidor® treated case, the termites have again actively foraged through the soil. However, unlike the repellent product, they have unknowingly entered into the Termidor treated zone. This has resulted in the death of the termites, as is seen by the presence of white mould growing on the dead termite bodies.
The Truth About Non-Repellent Termiticides
The Difference is not just the Performance.
Currently, there are two non-repellent, soil applied, liquid termiticides registered in Australia for post-construction use. A common fallacy homeowners are told is that these two products are basically the same and they behave in a similar manner, both biologically and in the soil. This is simply not true! Explained below are the key differences that make Termidor the most efficient termiticide in the world today.
1) More easily transferred from one termite to another
Both non-repellent termiticides can be passed from one termite to another. However, studies clearly show that Termidor is transferred much more efficiently throughout a termite population. This is the beauty of the Transfer Effect®.
2) Slower intoxication adds to the Transfer Effect
Termites that come in contact with Termidor behave normally for a 24-hour period before dying. This period, when the termites behave normally after encountering Termidor, allows transfer of the product to thousands of other termites through contact and grooming.
3) Is your termiticide where you left it?
Termidor has very low water solubility. Therefore, once it has been applied, it stays in the soil where it was applied. This is one of the reasons why Termidor is registered for a minimum of eight years' protection for all termite species. The other non-repellent products are registered for much less periods of time.
The Bottom Line
Termidor's unique combination of transferability between termites, low water solubility and slower mode of action make it the most efficient termiticide on the market today. When you need to protect what may be your biggest investment...
If you're not asking for Termidor, you're asking for trouble.
