Termites Barking Up The Wrong Tree
(Charleston, SC) - Silently and secretly, termites do more damage to American homes every year than fire, floods, and all other natural disasters combined. The pests infest an estimated 1.5 million U.S. homes each year and cause nearly $5 billion in damage. In fact, Formosan Termites cost Charleston residents tens of millions of dollars a year in damage, repair, and control costs. The Formosan Termite was established in the Charleston Area in the mid-1950s. It is now the dominant Subterranean Termite species on the coast of South Carolina. Due to the increase in rainfall over the past 3 years, the Formosan population has exploded. Formosan Termites infest live trees and recent heavy rains have caused the Formosans to move up into the trees in order to escape the saturated soil. In Charleston alone, Formosan Termites have been found in 17 different tree species.
Representatives from Palmetto Exterminators and BASF, the manufacturer of Termidor, came together to protect and save historic trees on the Charleston Peninsula that were infested with termites. Several Live Oak trees on the Charleston Peninsula were inspected and treated for Formosan Termite infestations. Palmetto Exterminators and BASF filmed the treatment to use as a training video for pest professionals to educate them about treating trees for termites. Palmetto Exterminators agreed to host the event to educate Charleston's citizens about the destructive power of termites not only in their homes but also in their trees. "Treating a termite-infested tree not only saves a tree but also reduces the overall Formosan Termite population around homes and buildings," says Palmetto's Graduate Entomologist Bert Snyder.
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