Destructive subterranean termites meet their match

Living in a tropical country means enjoying luscious fruits all-year-round, and having a house that’s fast food for termites.

"Being a tropical country, the Philippines provides moderate temperature and moisture suitable for termites to thrive," says William Paneulos Jr., Sentricon marketing manager of Dow AgroSciences Philippines.

He says there are about 2,500 different termite species around the world and about 54 species have been making the Philippines their home.

Of the 54, six species are considered to be economically important – two are drywood termites that infest building furniture, lumber and other products, and four are subterranean termites that have colonies in the ground or soil. Subterranean termites can infest high-rises and "slab homes" because they can form tunnels through cracks in the concrete. "The most destructive subterranean type is commonly called the Philippine Milk Termite," he explains.

Termites are soft-bodied insect living in a regulated temperature and humidity. These creatures hide beneath walls, floors and ceilings, and the homeowner does not notice the infestation until something gives way. Termite workers continuously search for new food sources even though they may have already located in abundant source and randomly feed at all available food sites within their foraging area.

In 1999, a baiting system developed around the natural behavior of termites was introduced in the Philippines. The revolutionary Sentricon Termite Colony Elimination System eliminates whole colonies by getting termites where they live. It was hailed internationally as the biggest thing in the pest control industry in the last 50 years.

Today, Sentricon protects the White House, the Statue of Liberty, other important landmarks, and many, homes in different continents around the world.

How does a system developed in the US answer the special needs of countries like the Philippines? According to Panuelos, field research began more than 10 years ago in the US and has repeatedly proven the ability of Sentricon to eliminate termite colonies and protect structures, both in research trials and commercialization in 1995 in the US and the late 1999 in the Philippines.

To ensure proper use of the technology, local authorized operators are being continuously trained by Dow AgroSciences to equip them with an understanding of the different species, biology and behavior of termites.

"The Sentricon System has been tested locally and globally against all destructtive subterranean termite species," explains Panuelos. "The majority of our research has been conducted on structures that either had not been treated with a barrier or had been repeatedly treated with chemicals that failed to alleviate the termite infestation, demonstrating, we believe, the superiority of Sentricon compared to older methods of termite control."

Pestcon experts and property owners are saying that Sentricon is probably your home’s best protection against termites. If you’re not sure whether the walls in your home have been gnawed through and become mere ‘shells’ that prevent termites from being discovered, call 772-5006 or visit www.sentricon.com