While you’re enjoying Jazz Fest, a colony of termites could be throwing a Mardi Gras celebration inside your walls. New Orleans’ heat and humidity create the perfect environment for these destructive pests. Keep on reading to learn how to get rid of termites in New Orleans.
Termite Treatment Options in New Orleans
There are several methods for getting rid of termites in your Crescent City home. Whether you want a more eco-friendly treatment plan or need a whole structure or a localized treatment, there is a solution for everyone.
Bait Stations
Bait stations are a slow but effective long-term solution that eliminate subterranean termite colonies over time. They can be placed above or in-ground around the perimeter of the home and contain cellulose laced with insecticides. Termites bring the bait back to the colony as food, slowly spreading it throughout the nest.
Usually, bait stations contain insect growth regulators (IGRs) that stunt the nymphs’ growth and prevent them from molting. Workers who attempt to molt will die, and the rest of the colony will die without workers to provide food.
Boric Acid
Boric acid, also known as borax or sodium borate, can be sprayed or dusted onto wood to create a protective barrier against small colonies of termites, mainly drywood termites. It can also be applied by drilling holes into infested areas and injecting liquid borate inside to target the colony.
When termites consume wood treated with boric acid, it will affect their ability to digest and break down cellulose, causing them to starve to death.
Chemical Barriers
Applying a chemical termite barrier around the perimeter of your foundation, as well as in cracks or possible entry points, will keep termites from entering and causing damage. These chemical barriers are available in several forms, including:
- Granular
- Liquid
- Foam
These treatments are especially effective against soil-dwelling Formosan and other subterranean termites.
Electricity
A licensed pest control pro can electrocute drywood termites with a hand-held electro-gun. This localized termite treatment sends out 90,000 volts of electricity into termite-infested wood, killing all termites within 1-2 feet.
Since this treatment involves a dangerous amount of electricity, you will need to hire a professional.
Heat Treatments
Termites can’t withstand being exposed to extreme temperatures. By heating your home to 120-140 degrees Fahrenheit for about 40 minutes, professionals can eliminate a drywood termite colony in your walls effectively.
This treatment is safer and more eco-friendly than chemicals, but keep in mind that this method can damage items in your home that are sensitive to heat, such as medicine, cosmetics, or photographs. You will need to remove items and follow essential preparation instructions from your pest control company to ensure nothing inside your home is damaged.
Liquid Nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen lowers the temperature of termite-infested wood to -20 degrees below zero and is effective against drywood termites. This treatment method involves drilling into the wall and pumping liquid nitrogen so that it travels throughout the termite nest in a gas form.
Pro Tip: Liquid nitrogen is dangerous and should be handled only by a professional.
Fumigation
Fumigation (also known as termite tenting) is the most effective treatment for drywood termites, but it’s typically a last resort, even for a severe infestation. The gas is poisonous, so you, your family, your pets, and your plants should not stay inside the home for three to five days until the home is safe to inhabit.
Here is what to expect during the process:
- A tent is erected and covers the entire exterior of the house.
- Sulfuryl fluoride gas is pumped into the tent.
- Once the toxic gas reaches the termites, it kills off the termite colony.
Microwaves
Microwaves are another, but more focused, method of heat treatment for drywood termites.
Pest control pros have access to 700 watt microwave generators that increase the temperature of an infested piece of wood to target the colony directly. This microwave termite treatment damages the termites’ cell membranes and dehydrates them, killing them.
Termiticide
Insecticides that are specifically created to eliminate termites are called termiticides. Once termites make contact with these chemicals, they will spread them to the rest of the colony. You can find termiticides in your local hardware stores, nurseries, or feed stores.
Termiticide active ingredients include:
- Chlorantraniliprole
- Chlorfenapyr
- Fipronil
- Imidacloprid
- Thiamethoxam
Like most toxic chemicals, they should be used with caution. Read the instructions carefully and follow them to the letter. These toxins can be especially dangerous to children, pets, and pregnant women.
Termiticides are used to target both Formosan and other subterranean termites, as well as drywood termites.
Signs of Termites in New Orleans
Termites cause billions of dollars in damages each year. Here are several signs of termites to watch out for so you can avoid costly repairs:
- Blistering or damaged wood
- Clicking noises coming from the walls
- Crumbling baseboards
- Damage to wooden furniture and wood floors
- Discarded wings
- Hollow wood
- Loose tiles
- Mud tubes along the foundation and walls
- Peeling, blistering, or bubbling paint and wallpaper
- Structural damage
- Sunken areas of drywall
- Termites near light sources, windowsills, and doorways
- Termite holes in the wall (You can read more about this topic in our guide: How to Identify Termite Holes)
- Warped or sagging floors
Types of Termites in New Orleans
The most common type of termite in New Orleans is an aggressive group known as Formosan termites, but there are other species that make the Crescent City their home.
Formosan Termites
The most common termites in New Orleans are Formosan termites, which were introduced from eastern Asia through wooden cargo. Formosan termites are well-established in the New Orleans metro area.
Although they are a type of subterranean termite, sometimes Formosan termites are discussed separately due to their large colonies and voracious appetites. This aggressive species will even destroy live trees. Formosan termites are known for consuming cellulose at a faster rate than other types and live in massive underground colonies with millions of termites.
Subterranean Termites
This group of termites used to be the primary species in the Greater New Orleans area until they were overtaken by Formosan termites.
Subterranean termites are smaller (1/8 to 3/8 inch long) than other species, but they are the most destructive, and their colonies can contain up to several hundred thousand termites.
Subterranean termites live underground and prefer dark environments with plenty of moisture. They get their moisture from the soil and avoid the open air by constructing mud tubes with dirt and their frass.
The main types of subterranean termites found in Louisiana are:
- Eastern subterranean termites
- Dark southern subterranean termites
- Light southern subterranean termites
- Midwestern subterranean termites
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites prefer to make their homes above ground in dry wood, so their colonies stay pretty small, hosting only a few thousand termites at most. They get their moisture from the wood they consume rather than the soil.
There are a few species of drywood termites that make their home in Louisiana:
- Southeastern drywood termites
- West Indian powderpost drywood termite
- Western drywood termite
- Dark southern drywood termite
How to Prevent Termites in New Orleans
Termites are attracted to moisture and cellulose (often in structural wood), but all is not lost. Here are several steps you can take to prevent termites from entering your home:
- Introduce beneficial nematodes: These soil-dwelling worms feed on soft-bodied insects like termites, making them a kind of natural insecticide.
- Maintain your gutters: Regularly clean sticks, leaves, and debris from your gutters to avoid overflow and excess moisture.
- Remove yard debris: Remove logs, stumps, and dead trees from your lawn.
- Give your home a regular checkup: By scheduling a routine termite inspection, you’ll be able to catch early signs of termites before they can cause major damage.
- Repair leaky faucets and pipes: This decreases excess moisture accumulating in your home and lawn.
- Don’t overwater your grass: Too much moisture will make your lawn an ideal environment for termites.
- Seal off cracks and crevices in the foundation with caulk: This will keep termites from having entry points into your home.
- Treat your patio, porch, deck, and outdoor furniture: Using orange oil, neem oil, borate spray, or oil-based varnishes will keep termites from snacking on your wooden furniture.
- Store things termites like to eat away from your home: Keep firewood and other cellulose materials, such as newspaper and cardboard, 20-30 feet away from your house and off the ground.
- Turn off lights at night to avoid attracting termites: Termites swarmers, like most insects, are attracted to light. Leaving your lights on at night is like a beacon summoning them to your house.
How Much Does Termite Treatment Cost in New Orleans?
Prices will vary depending on the type of treatment, but the national cost of termite treatment can range from $275 to $863.
The cost of termite treatment in New Orleans averages between $191 to $539.
FAQ About Termites in New Orleans
How Bad Are Termites in New Orleans?
Termites in New Orleans are among the worst in the U.S. For several years in a row, New Orleans has landed on Orkin’s Top 50 Most Termite-Infested Cities list. Formosan termites have made the situation worse with how aggressive and prevalent they have become in the area.
Do You Need a License To Treat Termites in New Orleans?
New Orleans homeowners don’t need a license to treat their own homes for termites. However, pest control professionals are required to have a license to practice.
Will Insurance Cover Termites in New Orleans?
No, homeowners insurance will not cover termite damage. Termites are preventable; therefore, prevention and treatment are seen as the responsibility of the homeowner.
Hire a Pro
If your home in The Big Easy is infested by invasive termite species, let Pest Gnome connect you with a local termite control pro today for termite or other pest issues.
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