When a condominium located along the waterway near Melbourne, Florida, had a Formosan termite problem so bad termites were swarming near continuously, Honor Services used the Sentricon® system to achieve total colony elimination in just 40 days.
A condominium located along the waterway near Melbourne, Florida, had a Formosan termite problem so bad swarming termites were nearly continuous. The condo association board had hired a pest management company that had been treating the property for many years, but the termites only seemed to get worse
With damage and mud tubes visible, the fed-up condo owner started his own research into Formosan termites and found that baiting systems were effective at controlling this especially voracious and aggressive species. After reading a blog on the Honor Services website, he visited their office seeking help.
John Shishilla, owner of Honor Services, listened to the condo owner’s story and knew he could help. Because “every great service starts with a great inspection,” Shishilla assembled his A team to inspect what sounded like a nightmare situation.
John arrived on-site with Jacob Morehouse, director of pest prevention; and Roman Dycus, Sentricon territory manager. No one could have anticipated what they would find. Five stories up, in the building’s attic, the team found mud tubes, active termites and extensive damage. Formosan termites weren’t the only problem, the team also found evidence of drywood termites.
“Seeing the tubes that high up, it was like meeting a celebrity,” Morehouse said. “You got excited, but you felt bad for the client too. They thought they were being taken care of by the other service provider.”
Following a thorough inspection, the Honor Services team recommended the installation of both in-ground and above-ground stations throughout the property and won the business.
“The client said we spent more time on inspection than the other service provider did treating,” Morehouse said.
The above-ground stations were especially handy in the attic and other areas where mud tubes were visible because they could be installed directly where termites were active. That also meant the bait would be found and consumed faster by the termites.
Just 40 days after the Sentricon system was installed, the termites were gone. While bait station inspection found consumed bait, and a few surprises, a live termite could not be found on the property.
“We actually found a carton nest in an AG and it was dead,” Morehouse shared. “It was awesome.”
Just 58 days after installation, a dead carton nest was discovered in a wall that was opened to start repair work. A year after the initial installation, no live activity has been detected even though the bait in some stations has been consumed, indicating the Sentricon system was still actively preventing further infestations.
With the repair process now in full swing, the client is seeing just how damaging Formosan termites can be in such a short time and now has peace of mind the building is protected.
“The client lives on the top floor. He raves about us,” Morehouse said.
As news spread of their work at the condo, neighboring businesses have been reaching out to request termite control services.
“It’s led to other work,” Shishilla said. “Drywood termite treatments, neighboring businesses … you realize you’re helping and you’re gaining some knowledge, but also growing your business. You couldn’t ask for a better sales pitch than happy customers ̶ and we have a whole building full of them.”
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