Termites and Termite Control

Termites are insects of the order Isoptera and are the only insects able to digest the cellulose component of wood. In nature, their role in the ecology is to digest dead trees and return the nutrients they contain to the soil; and if that was all they did, probably no one would bother them.

The problem is that termites aren't smart enough to distinguish homes and other wooden structures from plain, old dead trees. Termites cause untold millions of dollars in damage every year as they literally eat homes and other wooden buildings, furniture, musical instruments, and pretty much anything else made of wood that they find in their paths.

Termite Biology

Termites are highly social insects that have a well-developed caste system. Every caste has a well-defined set of duties, and all contribute to the colony's survival and success.

There are many species of termites, but only two of them are considered a threat in Huntsville, Alabama and surrounding areas: The eastern Subterranean Termite and the Formosan Termite. Of the two, the Eastern Subterranean Termite is far more common; but the Formosan Termite, though rare, is considered far more destructive. Our termite treatment is effective against covers both termite species.

Subterranean termites live in the ground and eat wood. Because they are susceptible to dehydration and predators, they build mud tubing between the ground and the wood when they are separated by air. Very often, the presence of these mud tubes is the first visible evidence that a house has a termite problem.

Termite Damage

In the course of their feeding activities, termites can cause severe damage to a building -- literally eating you out of house and home. Their slow, steady, disciplined feeding can reduce wooden structural parts of a house to sawdust over the years. Termites can also damage wooden furniture, flooring, musical instruments, stored documents, and almost anything else that contains cellulose. This damage can cost many thousands of dollars to repair; so when choosing a company to treat your home for termites, choose wisely. A couple of hundred dollars saved now may cost you tens of thousands down the road.

Termite Treatment

There are several approaches to termite treatment, but at All-Good, our treatment of choice is Termidor.

Termidor is a revolutionary, non-repellent termiticide that works unlike older, repellent termiticides. Termites can't smell or taste Termidor, so they merrily travel through it as if it wasn't even there. Because it acts rather slowly, they also carry it back to their nests and distribute it among the rest of the colony members in the course of their feeding and grooming activities.

And then they all die.

In fact, in ongoing tests conducted by the USDA, Termidor has maintained a 100 percent termite control rate for nearly a decade -- making it the most proven termiticide of its generation. That's why we insist on Termidor. Yes, it costs a little more than other products. But it works; and our customers deserve the best.

For a full-color, printable brochure about Termidor, please click here. (2.5 MB PDF file; Adobe Acrobat Reader required.)