COMPLEMENTARY TERMITE SYSTEMS THAT OFFER PROVEN PROTECTION
The Australian pest management industry has a good depth of experience in the use of termite baiting systems based on chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs), a form of insect growth regulator. These systems represent an important tool in the control of subterranean and arboreal termites. Since the early 2000s the industry has adopted the use of these systems and developed considerable knowledge on their suitability for a variety of building construction types, climates and termite species.
The Nemesis Termite Baiting System was fully researched, developed, and manufactured in Australia and continues to be manufactured in Australia by an Australian-owned company – PCT International Pty Ltd. First registered in Australia in 2005, Nemesis has become widely accepted and used by professional pest managers throughout Australia, Thailand, Singapore ,Malaysia and Israel . The system is also under commercial evaluation by a number of other countries.
Given the rise in popularity and adoption of termite baiting systems at the time, an independent study conducted in 2007 by Dr Berhan Ahmed from the University of Melbourne compared three commercially available termite baiting systems based on chitin synthesis inhibitors against the subterranean termite Coptotermes acinaciformis.1
The study results confirmed palatability and efficacy differences between the three commercial baiting systems. The foraging termite workers readily transferred all three baits to the colony members, with lethal effects. In the referenced study, the Nemesis Termite Baiting System demonstrated high palatability and caused the highest termite colony mortality rate with less bait substrate consumed (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Termite mortality rate after 56 days of feeding on the three commercial baits
The study demonstrated the potential of Nemesis against C. acinaciformis compared to the other two commercial baiting systems. Now in 2024, after 19 years in the industry, Nemesis continues to be a reliable and proven termite baiting system for the Australian pest management industry (as demonstrated by the 100% consumed bait pictured above) and proving for the ASEAN market, too.
Along with the development of termite baiting systems, PCT has invested in the development of non-repellent termiticides. In the last decade or so these non-repellent termiticides have become increasingly popular for liquid soil treatments as they go undetected by termites. Non-repellent fipronil-based termiticides afford constant exposure to termites, provided the termites remain in the treated areas. This method allows termites to acquire a lethal dose of toxicant and transfer it to healthy termites within the colony, magnifying its impact.
Terminade, developed by PCT, is a residual termiticide containing 100 g/L fipronil. It was successfully registered in Australia in 2012 and later in Singapore in 2019. Since its introduction to the domestic pest management market, Terminade has been manufactured in Australia.
Terminade offers the professional pest manager excellent value while providing a high level of efficacy in controlling termites. Not only did Terminade pass the tough conditions of the efficacy testing required for registration, but it now has twelve years of proven performance in the field.
PCT is rigorous in its development process, to ensure that products deliver under all conditions. This was initially proven in independent research and development studies with Terminade in a replicated laboratory vertical soil infiltration study. 2 The trial was conducted to determine and compare the soil infiltration rates of Terminade and a reference fipronil product over three levels in a predominately loam soil over time with and without the influence of simulated rainfall. The application of Terminade at the label rate to loamy sand soil resulted in concentrations of fipronil in the three levels of soil being higher for the Terminade treatment than the reference fipronil product without the simulated rainfall and significantly higher than the reference fipronil product at both 2 days post-treatment and also at 28 days post-treatment following 280 mm of simulated rainfall.” The soil analysis from this independent research demonstrated that termite professionals can have total confidence in the performance of their Terminade liquid soil treatments. .
“The research and development studies using Terminade are verified by the experiences of professional pest managers since the product’s registration in 2012,” said Richard Murray, research and development manager for PCT.
“Terminade has a reputation for demonstrating excellent efficacy in controlling termites, with the label stating that it offers protection from termites for a minimum of eight years. This is a real testament to the proven efficacy and safety of Terminade as a key termite management product in the commercial termite management marketplace”.
“Given PCT International is a quality assured organisation to the International Standard ISO9001:2015, professional pest managers have peace of mind that both Nemesis and Terminade meet or exceed the required quality specifications. It is the resulting uniform particle size and excellent suspension characteristics of the proprietary Terminade formulation that contributes to the excellent results evident from research and development studies.”
Although they can be installed as complete systems in their own right, the Nemesis Termite Baiting System and Terminade-based solutions can be complementary. Whilst a Terminade treatment is an excellent method of gaining control of an infestation quickly, a supplementary Nemesis installation will provide added peace of mind by providing an extra layer of monitoring after a Terminade treatment. Nemesis stations placed strategically around a property provide unobtrusive early warning of termites, assuming the stations are regularly monitored by a pest management professional. In addition, a Nemesis installation is invaluable in those situations where a full Terminade barrier is not possible or desirable, for example, properties with zero boundary line, or properties in close proximity to waterways.
So rather than installing an incomplete barrier, consider supplementing soil treatments with baiting systems. The combination of Nemesis and Terminade can provide complete protection and peace of mind, no matter how challenging the situation.
Above – A bag of Nemesis termite bait having been 100% consumed
1 Laboratory evaluation comparing three commercial chitin synthesis inhibitors (CSIs) against the subterranean termites Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt) and Mastotermes Darwiniensis (Froggatt) by Dr Berhan Ahmed, 2007. The University of Melbourne, Building 142, ILFR, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
2 A laboratory study to determine the vertical soil infiltration rates of fipronil in predominately loam soil by Agri Research Services Pty Ltd, 2010-2011. Gosford NSW Australia.