New research around termite behavior not only reaffirms the efficacy of the Sentricon system – two studies indicate Sentricon is even more effective than previously known.
For years, the central principle behind the Sentricon® system has remained the same: by eliminating the termite queen, the colony loses its ability to reproduce, and withers and dies. A pair of recent research studies prove that the Sentricon system may be even more effective than previously thought—and it has everything to do with hijacking subterranean termite behavior to achieve total colony elimination.
As a chitin synthesis inhibitor, the Sentricon system prevents termites from molting. Without properly molting, termites die, leading to total colony elimination in 90 days. Research from scientist Dr. Thomas Chouvenc at the UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center (REC) proves this — but findings in recent years may point to even greater efficacy for Certified Sentricon Specialists® who rely on the Sentricon system as the standalone solution for every termite situation.
After raising and studying a series of termite colonies, Dr. Chouvenc found that the Sentricon system doesn’t immediately eliminate the termite queen. Instead, it first prevents the queen from properly laying eggs, instantly halting the birth of a new brood.
This means the Sentricon system works to eliminate new termites as soon as the first bite of bait is shared with the queen. Within 20 days, all larvae in a colony feeding on the Sentricon system are dead—and no new members can be born.
Not only does the Sentricon system immediately target the brood by disrupting the queen, but it also causes molting problems in young worker termites, stopping them from raising and caring for new colony members. This is crucial — especially considering new research on how termite kings and queens rear their young.
Termite colonies are formed when two winged termites fly away from their original colony, pair and mate. During this critical time in colony development, termite kings and queens are fiercely parental and spend most of their time raising the brood.
Once the colony is established, the termite king and queen switch from “helicopter parenting” to a hands-off approach. Instead of actively raising their young, the queen focuses entirely on laying eggs, leaving her primary offspring to care for new members of the brood.
This rapid change in termite behavior means the Sentricon system is perfectly poised to take termites out at their source. By preventing the queen from properly laying eggs, new larvae cannot grow, and as young workers continue to die off, there are no colony members to raise existing larvae.
In the end, a starving colony consists of only a select few termites: very old workers, starving soldiers, the king and, of course, the queen. Essentially, a colony feeding on the Sentricon system is neutralized long before the queen dies—and the ability for workers to swarm, leave the colony and reproduce is nonexistent.
As termite behavior becomes more apparent, it’s clear that the Sentricon system works to eliminate termites at their source by targeting the lifeblood of a colony: the termite brood. By contrast, liquid termiticides only temporarily safeguard against structural damage.
While they may offer a brief solution for subterranean termite infestations, liquid termiticides don’t prevent termites from accessing other food sources, including trees, aerial food sources and non-protected structures. Even more importantly, liquid treatments don’t impact a queen’s ability to reproduce, meaning a colony can continue to grow and expand until it loses access to every reliable food source nearby.
By contrast, the Sentricon system offers continuous protection against both active infestations and potential new infestations. By eliminating the termite brood and preventing the creation of new colonies, the Sentricon system is both a curative and preventive solution, helping home and business owners stave off future structural damage with 24/7 termite protection.
Any seasoned pest management professional will tell you there’s a difference between getting the job done and getting the job done right. The Sentricon system tackles the root of a termite infestation — the brood — and, in doing so, eliminates active and potential termite threats alike.
As research around termite behavior becomes clearer, so does the efficacy and effectiveness of the Sentricon system. It’s no wonder why countless Certified Sentricon Specialists have used the Sentricon system to protect millions of homes and businesses for over 25 years — and why it will continue to do so for decades to come.
