DIY Termites Remedy

Our kids like to dig in the mulch and they typically do so in a place that doesn’t cause a problem so we totally let them dig for worms there. One day, Molly (8) who misses NOTHING pointed out something in the mulch and asked an excellent question, “Mom, are these termites?”

“I don’t know,” I said, moving in for a closer look. A quick Google image search later and sure enough, what she found looked like termites.

I thought, Oh, maaaaaan! That’s the last thing we need.  

We live in Knoxville, but called called Pestaway, based in Athens, TN, because it’s my husband’s hometown, and, whenever possible, we try to use services or hire people there to help their economy.

Anyway, they came out and were very knowledgeable. And while we did have termites in our mulch, we did NOT have termite damage to our home. Whew!

Here’s what I learned.

• Termites like living in mulch. They look like little clearish white bugs – or, that’s what ours looked like. I wish I had taken a picture of them.
• Homes that have been treated for termites have a barrier around them.
• If your mulch is TOO thick it can allow the termites to bypass the barrier and get to your house. (Our mulch was really  uneven – because we did it ourselves – and way to high in some places. So we had to move it around and thin it out.)
• If you have termites, but no termite damage, you can take care of it yourself.

A DIY Option for Getting Rid of Termites in Your Mulch

• Get thee to The Home Depot.
• Pestaway recommended we water the mulch with one of those pest control products that hooks right to the hose. The active ingredient to look for – per Pestaway – is called Esfenvalerate.
• We found it in Bug B Gon® and gave the mulch a thorough soaking. Pestaway said that active ingredient isn’t harmful for the kids, but we kept them out of it for a long while anyway.
• It worked.

This guy was honest with me, and I am so thankful. Pestaway Corporation serves the Athens, Tennessee area and focuses on commercial, rather than residential, but if you fall into that category, I highly recommend this company. Pestaway Corporation’s phone number is  (423) 745-7537.

Have you dealt with termites? Ever had damage from them?