New Termite Species Invades South Florida; State Department of Agriculture Enlists Leading Termite Control Product, Termidor, to Eradicate Aggressive Pest Population.

Business Editors

DANIA BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 22, 2003

Non-native insects cause billions of dollars in damage each year in the United States.

Now, the state of Florida is utilizing a leading termite insecticide to ensure that a new, potentially damaging termite species from the Caribbean does not establish itself in this country.

The invasive Nasutitermes costalis species of termites was found in Dania Beach, Florida (5 miles south of Fort Lauderdale) in 2001. The species, called "tree termites" because of their arboreal nesting, is native to the Caribbean islands of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

While not as damaging as Formosan termites (another foreign species), the tree termite is extremely active in repairing damaged tubes and nests. In addition, the species' above ground foraging behavior makes conventional subterranean termite control strategies, like bait products, ineffective.

The Florida Department of Agriculture believes the termites are currently confined to a 50-acre area within Dania Beach, and the State will attempt to eradicate the pest population on April 23, 2003, using Termidor(R), a liquid termiticide/insecticide that has been used on over 800,000 homes since 2000.

Applications of Termidor will be made directly to nests, as well as around the base of inhabited trees within the 50-acre area.

"There has never been a successful attempt to eradicate a social insect in the United States," comments Dr. Rudolf Scheffrahn of the University of Florida. "However, the nesting activity of tree termites makes the species a viable candidate for eradication. Because they nest in trees and build dark, recognizable mud tubes, we've been able to identify and closely track the activity of the pest within the Dania Beach area."

Non-native termite species have caused significant damage in the United States over the past century. The most damaging of these species is the Formosan, an invasive termite that arrived in North America from the South Pacific some time after World War II.

Formosan termite infestations cause up to $1 billion in property damage each year, costing the city of New Orleans alone up to $300 million annually. Other destructive insects introduced into the United States include the Asian long-horned beetle, the Gypsy moth, red imported fire ants, the Mediterranean fruit fly, Japanese pine beetles, and the Pine shoot beetle.

Termidor (with its active ingredient fipronil) was chosen from a number of professionally applied termite controls because of its effectiveness in lab testing done specifically for the eradication effort. Termidor is the world's most effective termite control, eliminating 100 percent of subterranean termites in three months or less.

"Field tests of Termidor in Puerto Rico show similar effectiveness when surface-applied for Nasutitermes costalis," says Bob Hickman, Termidor researcher.

"Across the country, from Florida to Michigan to California to Hawaii, states are struggling to curb the spread of non-native pests throughout their natural ecology," notes Hickman. "Stopping the spread of these pests from the beginning, before they are able to proliferate, is crucial in curbing the establishment of new damaging pest species in this country.'"

"While tree termites may be easy to identify, Formosans termites and other subterranean species are not - that's why its important for homeowners to have their homes inspected for termites each year by a pest control professional," Hickman continues. "And when evaluating a termite treatment, homeowners should ask their professional two questions - 'will it eliminate all of my termites?' and 'how long it will take to completely get rid of my termite problem?'"

Termidor with the active ingredient, fipronil, is the world's most effective termite control, eliminating 100 percent of termites in three months or less. Termidor has consistently shown exceptional results in more than 800,000 homes treated throughout the United States since its launch in March 2000.

Only Termidor-certified professionals are authorized to purchase and use Termidor. For more information, call 1-877-TERMIDOR, or visit online at www.TermidorHome.com.