The CSI in termite inspections
Technical note on CSI in termite inspections, with a focus on diagnosis, prevention and criteria applicable to professional pest management.
Television series such as CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) illustrate very well what is expected of a good termite specialist during his first contact with the scenario in which a client demands intervention. In this first visit, collecting data for analysis will be of vital importance to be able to make a correct diagnosis that facilitates the design of a personalized control strategy. Concentration and determination will be necessary throughout the entire journey.
First who?, and then how?
We should not assume that we know in advance the species of termite behind the damage to our client's wood, this could lead us to establish a control plan with undesirable results. In order to be able to answer the question, how and in what way we will carry out a good control strategy, we must first be able to answer: who do we have to fight? What species, or alternatively what genus, of termite does our client have? When we have this information clear, then, and only then, will we be in a position to define a good specific control strategy that is truly effective.
In Latin America, the main types of termites that are associated with incidents in decorative or structural wooden elements are: subterranean termites like Coptotermes, Heterotermes, Reticulitermes and rhinotermes; drywood termites like Cryptotermes, Neotermes, Glyptotermes and Tauritermes; dampwood termites like Porotermes; and arboreal termites like Nasutitermes and Microcerotermes. In another article we could delve into the characteristics that can help us identify some of these types of termites. It must be kept in mind that there are few studies on the distribution of termite species associated with damage to the human environment with respect to the 20 countries that comprise all of Latin America.
Data for analysis
When you enter the scene where the termites made an appearance, take your time. It is very important that you can obtain as much information as possible through the client's own testimony, your own observation while carrying out a thorough inspection, and what your detection equipment can provide you with.
For data collection, there is no doubt that the information that the owner or tenant of the property can provide us will be of great value, highlighting a historical record and details of related incidents; a notebook will be necessary. Make a situation plan in which you enter all notable incidents or data that you consider to be of interest.
The information we receive through our sight is the most important, especially when our eyes are well trained in the art of being able to identify and interpret the signs that reveal and identify the presence of termites. Each visit is therefore an opportunity to continue learning and improving our training. Usually our vision requires the help of artificial light; In this case, I recommend a headlamp that allows you to have your hands free, that has rechargeable batteries, so that we are never left without light, and with enough power so that our eyes do not need to make continuous efforts to be able to appreciate the details that we are looking for in the wood and its surroundings.
A useful tool will be a punch or screwdriver with a flat tip, not to open or break the wood, but to "feel" it and see if there is any empty space behind the paint or varnish. For sample collection, tweezers, a small sealable bottle with alcohol, a label, and a small resealable plastic bag will be necessary. If you have the opportunity to capture termites, with greater interest, some soldier, collect a sample indicating the date, address, description of its location and, if possible, the coordinates. You can send it to an expert to help you identify it.
Inspection with electronic equipment
A good specialist does not need to break and open our client's wood to determine if the termites are still active inside or to try to determine which species we need to combat. This procedure would not be very professional. There is equipment on the market that allows this information to be obtained in a non-destructive way, if they are active, among which are acoustic detectors, for example Audiotermes, and electromagnetic ones that detect the movement of termites inside the wood, for example Termatrac. The sound that termites produce when breaking the fibers of the wood is unique, and can resemble the crackling of a bonfire.
Although it is true that these devices provide valuable information which will be very useful in our control strategy, our expectations regarding them must be realistic, so we must be well aware of their limitations and we must learn to use them with common sense, avoiding commercial abuse of them. Some companies use thermal imaging cameras, which capture areas with high humidity and therefore prone to the presence of termites. On the other hand, the use of a hygrometer, a moisture meter inside the wood, can also be useful information in the analysis of the information collected. Taking photographs of the damage or signs, as well as the property in which our intervention is required, is necessary.
Let's be professional, let's generate trust
The following text corresponds to what a person shared after receiving a visit from several pest control companies: he called several in the Catalonia area. Some responded kindly by phone, but did not contact again as promised; He even insisted on calling more times. Someone else said she would pass and stood him down. Finally two stopped by the house.
The first company sent a very friendly, approachable, young, dynamic, informal and easy-going technician. He inspected the entire house, puncturing the door and window frames with a punch, taking photographs, drawing up a schematic plan of the house and marking on it the points where he had detected the presence of termites. He inspected the garden, picked up rotten branches, stained his hands and showed the termites. He explained what the treatment plan was going to be and provided information about the company. They also responded quickly and sent a quote.
The second company sent a man who was about 50 years old and was wearing a suit. He looked at the house from the center of the main room but he neither crouched, nor poked, nor went out into the garden. He took some photographs and was correct and kind, but the impression he left was very different. The client explained that, when he approached professionals in the sector, he was anxious and needed answers, he was not asking for estimates to change the bathroom tiles or paint the house. When it comes to termites, it is important to give quick answers that generate trust. Someone who calls a company about a termite problem will likely be distraught and will value care and safety more than what the treatment will cost.
Fortunately, professionalism and specialization in the pest control sector is changing worldwide. The termite control service requires involved and very well trained personnel, not only in inspection techniques, but also in the design of control strategies accompanied by a higher degree of effectiveness and less impact on the environment. This article serves as an introduction to this exciting world in which the collection of data for analysis is part of the meticulous research that must accompany a good termite specialist.