Yes, strange but true. (2010 study by Bruce Wallace)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21309235/#:~:text=Several%20studies%20have%20shown%20that,termites%20in%20each%20study%20differed.

@@SHobbyist so the wood is better than cardboard? Thanks for the reply.

​@@MaheshWalataraI only use wood myself

@@SHobbyist hey buddy will boric acid powder be the same as the borax?

I wouldn't. I've only used it outside as a bait trap. I use a permethrin solution spray indoors along the perimeter.

Good question, but alas, I don't know. I'm no expert. I stick with the original DIY ingredients and haven't had any problems.

@@SHobbyist I think you want them to eat the borax soaked wood, live long enough to die in the nest, and their body will be consumed by the other members of the colony. Do I have that right?

@TheScottieie great point!

I would say no. It needs to be a solid piece of non-pressure treated wood.

Thanks, I appreciate that! The wood will naturally be leached by the watering regarless of its placement. I would place it where it's just getting wet but not drowned. I hold to the idea that the baits should be considered effective for its lifespan of one year. I re-bait each year. It's been a winning strategy for this humble DIYer.

I place them once a year. Some dissappear, while others last longer. I take that as a good sign of foraging by the termites.

Thanks, much appreciated! And thanks for the tips!

Yes, I do. Every 30 feet or so.

Good question. I personally avoid placing the baits at the base of living trees as they may affect the pH of the immediate soil and harm the tree if they're sensitive. Dead trees, on the other hand, are a great spot in my opinion.

I don't use the method indoors, but other great commenters here have posted some interesting ideas here. I recommend reading through them. Thanks for the great question, cheers!

I've only used the baits outside, along the building perimeters. Other subscribers have had interesting indoor ideas you can find in the comments section here. As always, bring in a professional if you believe the infestation is extensive. Cheers!

If the termites can get to your bait and consume some, it should.

The example I used is approximately 4 litres of hot water, but depending on temp, you want to add the borax until it ceases to dissolve regardless of volume of water. Too much will just be wasteful and collected on the bottom. But keep in mind, you can reuse the solution a few times before disposal. So you can do a few batches rather than one large one. Cheers!

@@SHobbyist okay thanks,i wanted to know ,if less quantity of borax will take less time to kill termites and hence the chance of reaching to the queen termites will be more .And how many days will it take to see the result .

I see. The result is relatively slow. A week or too depending how they are feeding as it disrupts their digestion and they starve rather than direct poisoning. The concentration of borax will be controlled by the wood fibres and their retention capacity. The termites will eat and share those fiber chewings. Less is probably better than too heavy a borax concentration as a rule of thumb.

Sugar? This was my first thought also. Do termites need sugar to eat wood? Weren’t they going to naturally eat the wood without the sugar Anyway? I’ve seen many termite bait. This one is the easiest by far so I guess there’s no harm in trying it.

Great question! Boric acid is finer and a bit more potent. But the mechanism is the same. I have borax on hand for my blacksmithing. You could substitute boric acid if thats whats available for someone.

I use scraps of pine. Anthing other than pressure treated or cedar should work fine.

I have success, yes

Probably not because the borax and sugar have to be in the wood. Its the wood they're mainly interested in. You should trace their path back to the soil and bait there in my opinion.

You can just use a paint brush to coat your cupboards in the borax mixture. That will protect it. My termite pest control guy uses Bora-Care in the same way to treat his clients houses but he charges the same amount as tenting the house. He also wants a monthly contract. Ugh. This method does the same thing but at a much cheaper cost.

As far as a few inches, closer the better in my opinion.

@@SHobbyist Thanx Just spoke to a professional who is coming out later in the week, who says sounds like a carpenter ant problem. Would the bait stations serve the same purpose with carpenter ants?

As carpenter ants don't eat wood like termites, I'd guess no. The ants use wood as shelter.

I would not. The boric acid would just leach out and down through the soil column. The intent is to get the termites to consume the borates. This requires some sort of tasty treat to be eaten that has the borates inside. As soil is not eaten, but moved by the termites, I don't think it will be worthwhile. Hope that answers your question. Cheers!

Yes indeed

That's not a bad idea about digging them back up on a video 🤔. Being all natural, they will leach out over time so thats why I make it a yearly practice. Thanks for kind words, cheers!!

I suppose you could try though I'd expect it to be less effective. The sugar really entices them to eat the bait preferably over the structural wood you're trying to protect.

@@SHobbyist Oh I see, I think would and borax will work. Door jambs and wooden stair case are infested here with termites. I'll try to bait them using that solution. Thank you