Why is sentricon so expensive

Terminix’s Mampe Criticizes Use of Bait Systems

Consumer Warning From Terminix’s Entomologist: Don’t Buy the Sentricon System the Company Sells For Termite Prevention

PhD entomologist Doug Mampe says Terminix should not be selling the Sentricon system. Dr. Mampe has been Terminix’s consulting entomologist for at least two decades. However, he criticizes Terminix for selling the Sentricon termite “baiting” system to customers because Sentricon is less effective and more expensive than alternatives. Dr. Mampe advises all his clients – including Terminix – to use the new class of liquid termite chemicals that are on the market. Termidor and its generic equivalents containing fipronil have been the gold-standard for termite prevention in the professional pest control industry for well over a decade.   

Terminix is selling the Sentricon termite “bait” system as the way to prevent termites to new customers and it is trying to switch current customers away from termite bonds that promise to use a chemical barrier (called “termiticides in the trade) to prevent termites.

In sworn testimony, its expert says he is “surprised” Terminix is doing this because new chemicals like Termidor are better able to prevent termites and cheaper for consumers. Nonetheless, Terminix is selling a less effective and more expensive system to prevent termites because it is a “baiting system.” However, Terminix’s claim that Sentricon traps “bait” termites to the devices is false. The product label that is approved and required by the EPA warns that absolutely nothing in the system “attracts” termites. So not only is Sentricon less effective, Terminix knows its basic marketing claim is patently false. 

Dr. Mampe gave a very clear indictment of what Terminix is doing to its customers when he testified as an expert for Terminix in a case accusing the company of widespread fraud in its termite prevention business: 

Q. You mentioned that most companies have stopped using the Sentricon system. What's your understanding as to why that has occurred in that industry?

A. Primarily because we [have] more effective termiticides than we did when the system first went into the marketplace and the system is more expensive and did not have the same degree of reliability that our new soil termiticides have.

Q. And do you still hold the opinion that the use of liquid termite barrier with the new termiticides is more effective than use of baiting systems?

A. First of all, it's not a barrier. It's a treatment zone. It's a different concept than our old termiticides. In response to those applications, it's generally quicker than it is with baits. Baits you have to have hits. Then you have to bait, you've got to inspect, and reinspect and sometimes it takes a period of time before control is achieved. Most companies I'm aware of reserve baiting systems for those properties that have some special environmental condition where soil termiticides may pose some adverse effects.

Q. And how current is your information on that topic?

A. I have retainer companies that I work with every day, so it's current as of today.

Q. And you're comfortable in that opinion?

A. Yes.

Q. Would it surprise you if Terminix informed you that they are at the present time routinely converting liquid termiticide customers back to Sentricon systems?

A. That would surprise me.   

Licensed pest control operators like Terminix are supposed to give professional advice to customers about how to prevent termites. They are not supposed to recommend the least effective products because they can sell it for more money. 

What should consumers do? According to Terminix’s entomologist, do not buy it and refuse to accept it if the company tries to switch you.  

If you have any questions about this marketing campaign, feel free to call Campbell Law PC for more information. Toll-Free: 877-586-7582. Email:

More information about termites and termite claims can be found on these Campbell Law PC-sponsored web pages:

www.terminixcomplaints.com

www.termitelawyers.com

www.campbelllitigation.com

www.youtube.com/campbelllawpc 

www.linkedin.com/in/campbelllitigation 

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With so many Termite Bait Stations available from multiple sources, its important to get the ones which will be the most suitable and provide maximum termite protection. Many of the termite bait stations available online have been developed by the homeowner after having professionals quote for a termite bait installation at their home. Being so expensive to install and maintain by the professionals, a lot of the DIY Termite Bait manufacturers are simply retired homeowners trying to make a living from selling a mediocre product, which claims to protect property from termite attack.

To be fair, there are some extremely basic requirements when it comes to termite bait stations, but so many manufacturers get it wrong. Creating termite bait stations which provide for a variety of treatment options is key. There Termicure product was designed and developed by certified termite professionals, and allows for multiple treatment methods.

There are many reasons why treatment methods can differ when it comes to termites. Some species of termite are simply not susceptible to certain treatments, so having a product which provides multiple options is important.

Termicure Termite Baits were developed with this requirement in mind. They can be loaded with bait matrix for conventional termite baiting, they can be utilised for spot treatments with liquids, foams or dust products, and they provide ideal conditions for the installation of the Sentricon ‘Always Active’ Termiticide Rods.

Whilst the Sentricon ‘Always Active’ Termiticide Rods are not manufactures by Termicure, they are the perfect addition to assist in trouble free termite management on your property.

So when you’re doing your research on various termite bait stations, just remember, that Termicure Termite Baits offer you the widest range of treatment options, and have been produced by the termite professional to service the homeowner and termite experts around the country.

I bought a house last May that had as part of closing a clean termite letter etc per usual. I didn't know anything about the Sentricon System or about upkeep - I just figured it was an annual deal. Looking into it a little now it looks like these are generally inspected quarterly.

So long story short I checked them today - and below is what I saw:

Some are undamaged and look like this one: https://i.imgur.com/YHWRvTT.jpg

A couple I saw had what look to me like termites: https://i.imgur.com/SD7CQAm.png Hopefully a worker bc they can't reproduce - is that right?

Others had grooves/tunnels eaten out of them but I saw no bugs: https://i.imgur.com/yV6oYEK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/zpxX7xr.jpg

All this is to ask, what does what I saw mean?

And do I simply buy refills for this (see some on ebay) and continue to check on them - refilling anytime I see a "tunnel" or a bug and hoping the few I've seen will dwindle to nothing?

Do I need to call a pro?

OR - are these worthless and I should look at another option for treatment?

Thanks in advance!

Also, this is in Atlanta, GA if that makes a difference.

Additionally, in case it matters...I do not use a pest control service - I treat my house with Bifen XTS outdoors and Bifen IT indoors every couple of months and have not had any issues so far (most of the bugs I find are dead, I only find a few live every once in a while).

For how small termites are in size, they’re actually one of the most expensive pests homeowners have to deal with. Termites are estimated to cause around $30 billion dollars worth of damage to crops and structures every single year. These outrageous numbers include residential properties as well — with 600,000 homes being damaged from these tiny pests. As you can see, termites need to be properly eliminated to prevent costly damages. Unfortunately, termite extermination can be an extremely hard task for a homeowner to manage on their own. Most homeowners don’t realize that termite infestations require professional help to step in and get rid of them.  In this post, we’re going over how to get rid of termites using the ultimate solution: Sentricon Systems with Always Active technology. This termite bait system is our go-to solution when it comes to termite infestations because it has been proven to work every time. Learn more about how we use the Sentricon System and where other pest control companies tend to go wrong with how they get rid of termites. 

Understanding Termite Behavior

What termites like to eat in your home

Everyone knows termites love wood but they’re also attracted to plastic, paper, drywall, and wallpaper. What these pests are really after is the cellulose in these materials, which is essentially the non-digestible fiber found in plants. Fun fact: termites are one of the only insects that can break down and digest cellulose. You will generally find termites throughout multiple areas of your home. They are known to be explorers, constantly searching for new food sources to grow their colony. These pests especially love door frames, outdoor decks, and dead trees — depending on the species of termite that’s invading your home. 

An inside look at termite colonies

Each termite colony has its own ranking system that includes a king and queen, workers, soldiers, and two types of reproductive swarmer termites: winged and unwinged. Together, these ranks form large colonies where they work day in and day out to grow their territory and reproduce.  Pro Tip: Eliminating the entire colony by exterminating the queen is key. Knowing how to reach her is the best way to get rid of termites once and for all, but more on that later!

Why termite infestations are difficult to catch 

When left to their own devices, termites will grow rapidly. Large colonies can have up to several thousand termites under the rule of one queen. Keep in mind, a single termite alone can’t eat that much wood. But when you think about how many thousands of termites can eat over a period of several years — that’s when you start to see the issue!  Termites are so small that the damage is almost unnoticeable in the beginning stages of an infestation. They may be eating away at some part of your home you don’t often see — like the attic or crawl space. Truth be told, years can go by before you even notice any damage. Maybe you spot some damage to a door frame and decide to inspect the rest of the home, just to realize the termites have been there much longer than you thought! 

Signs of termites

Knowing the early warning signs of a termite infestation is crucial for stopping them before the problem becomes too big to handle. Staying on top of inspecting your home is a simple way to help prevent infestations. However, the average person doesn’t typically know what to look for when it comes to signs of termites — and not that you should, it’s not your job!  The most common signs to keep an eye out for include the presence of termite tubes or mounds. These termite structures look similar to mud but can run vertically up a wall that’s several feet tall. If you notice flying insects in or around your home, take the time to properly identify them. The winged termites, or swarmers, look similar to flying ants but are smaller in size. Discarded wings and droppings are another common sign of termites, along with the obvious damage to any wood.  Also remember that termites are not strangers to urban areas and will go wherever the wood is. It’s a common myth that termite colonies are completely destroyed when wooded areas are cleared out. Because of this, most new homeowners assume they’re safe from the damage of termites. However, this is not the case since termites typically build their nests underground. Unless the lot and surrounding area have been properly treated for termites, there’s a good chance they’re still lurking in the ground underneath.

Traditional Methods of Termite Control

Monitoring infestations

Pest companies sometimes rely on mere monitoring alone to inspect and get rid of termites. This process simply involves placing a wooden dowel inside of a canister into the ground and checking it at random intervals to see if termites are present. In theory, it’s a valuable way for technicians to check for signs of damage since we know that termites are attracted to wood. The reality is — wood inserted into the ground swells, rots, and gets attacked by other insects which can result in unclear data as to whether termites are the issue (or not). 

Liquid chemical barriers

Before Sentricon was created in 1995, the typical process for termite elimination consisted of creating chemical barriers around the home. Gallons of termiticide would be injected into the soil surrounding your home to target colonies. Then, the soil had to be drilled and excavated to make trenches that would disperse the liquid deeper into the ground.  This was thought to be the most effective way to kill termites, but it used excessive amounts of toxic chemicals that caused more harm than good. Homeowners’ lawns, landscaping, and soil would be left destroyed by the process. In addition, nearby wildlife, children, and any pets who spent time outside would be at risk of coming into direct contact with high levels of termiticides. Unfortunately, these methods are still used by many pest control companies today. Not only is monitoring a wooden dowel inconclusive or using liquid termiticides dangerous and harmful to the environment, they don’t always work, either. Scientific studies have proven that these methods aren’t very successful, at least compared to the Sentricon System. Not only does the effectiveness of the liquid termiticide fade over time, it doesn’t guarantee elimination of the colony’s queen. The termite queen’s sole purpose is to lay eggs, so eliminating her is how you bring the whole colony down — it’s like Game of Thrones meets Animal Planet.

How the Sentricon System Works

The Sentricon System with Always Active technology is in a league of its own when it comes to handling termites.  Sentricon’s main defense includes individual bait stations. Each station consists of a small rod containing a cellulose material that’s inserted into the soil. These traps are strategically placed between 10-20 feet apart where the termites seem to be the most active.  The system was created to work this way because of the science behind termite behavior. When termite colonies have a population that’s too big, the pests begin to produce male and female winged swarmers to go out and find new potential nesting areas underground. However, these termites don’t keep their wings for long, permanently shedding their wings and mating at the new nest location to expand the colony's size.  This is when the bait stations start the extermination process. Underground, the worker termites come into contact with the bait station and eat the cellulose material that has added insect growth inhibitors, which prevents the termites from being able to molt. This eventually results in them dying off.  The worker termites go on to bring the infected food source back to their colony, where the growth inhibitor is spread to the rest of the members. This growth inhibitor is key for eliminating the queen. The bait formula has been extensively researched and designed to work at the correct time. If the bait worked too quickly it would never reach the queen, as it has to pass through several ranks of termites to get to her. 

Why Sentricon is the Best Way to Get Rid of Termites

Sentricon’s unique bait system is what makes this system so successful. Believe it or not, the bait formula is actually more attractive to termites than wood. Over time, it becomes even more attractive to termites as it ages, making it the first insecticide of its kind.

Early termite detection

A major problem pest companies come across is the difficulty in detecting termites early on. As we mentioned earlier, these pests are sneaky and can go undetected for years. With Sentricon, termite identification is easy. A single bait station can be used to determine if termites are present.

An eco-friendly alternative

Sentricon with Always Active technology is an eco-friendly solution that effectively gets rid of termites. Remember the gallons of chemicals we mentioned from traditional methods? These bait traps use just a few grams of active ingredients. This means you don’t have to worry about excessive amounts of unnecessary chemicals that will kill the plants in your yard or pose a potential health risk to your family and pets.

A highly trusted system

We aren’t the only ones that swear by using Sentricon Always Active. This system has been used at some of the most famous structures here in the US! The White House, The U.S. Capitol, The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and The Alamo have all been treated with Sentricon to eliminate termite infestations. 

How Killingsworth Uses the Sentricon System

1. Home inspection

First, one of our expert pest technicians will thoroughly inspect your property for signs of termites and determine the species type. An assessment of the termite damage will also be made for future monitoring purposes. Once completed, the technician will go over the next steps in taking care of the infestation.

2. Bait station placement

Bait stations will be placed around your home to efficiently get rid of and prevent termites. The amount of bait traps used will depend on the size of your property and the extent of the damage. The good news is, as soon as the station is put into the ground it can be eaten by termites, so treatment will begin immediately.

3. Continuous monitoring and maintenance

As time goes on, our technicians will continually monitor each station to protect your home against future termite infestations and replenish the bait as needed. This will ensure optimal protection against these destructive pests. Plus, you don’t need to be present at any point of the process. It’s all in our hands from here!

Schedule a Termite Inspection With Us

The best defense strategy to get rid of termites and prevent infestations is to have a trained termite control professional check your home. This should be done every year to keep your termite warranty up to date. Protecting your home against future termite infestations with a reputable termite company can make a big difference, and it’s why local pest knowledge is necessary to provide the best service. We offer our in-depth Termite Inspection Service to confirm the presence of pests before we ever begin treating. If you are interested in scheduling an inspection, click the button below to get started.