Baiting is widely known as one of the best options for getting rid of subterranean termites — the type of termites that live in nests below the ground. Basically, it involves inserting canisters of pesticide-containing termite "food" into the ground and hoping the termites find the bait, bring it back to their colonies, and share it with other termites so they all die. This sound simple, but there are a few strategies that you and your pest control professional should employ to help ensure your termite bait system is effective.

Surround the entire building.

It can be tempting to save money and only place baits in areas where you have actually seen termites. However, subterranean termite colonies can be enormous, and they can also grow quickly in any direction. Since you cannot know for certain where the termites are or where they might be in a few weeks, it is most effective to place baits around the entire perimeter of your building. Surely, there will be some driveways and walkways that make placing baits in certain areas hard. Just put a bait to either side of the obstruction; that's the best you can do. Aim to space the stations about 10 to 15 feet apart.

Add extra bait stations in areas where there are wood structures.

If you have a pile of firewood, an old rotting building, or another wooden structure on your land, place an extra bait trap or two near these structures. Termites are bound to seek out these structures soon, if they have not already done so, and placing baits in these areas takes advantage of that. The baits also help protect these structures from additional termites damage.

Make sure others don't disturb the baits.

A common problem with homes that are baited for termites is that the bait stations get disturbed before the termites have a chance to find them. Make sure anyone who does any landscaping work on your home knows the stations are there and knows to avoid them. Also make sure your kids know not to play with the bait stations, particularly if the stations are in places where they might play. Watch your dogs, too. Some dogs have been known to dig the stations up.

With the tips above, your termite baiting tactics are more likely to be effective. Reach out to a local pest control professional for more tips and information.