Lately I’ve been asked, “What’s up with this orange oil I keep hearing about?” Having been in the pest control business for over 18 years I can give you the real scoop, as well as share my knowledge and experience with those of you interested in knowing the best methods for eradicating termites.
Maybe you’ve heard this orange oil stuff advertised on the radio. A company from Lancaster, CA, is on a media blitz and spending a lot of money advertising that they’d discovered magical oil that could rid the world of house-eating termites. Here’s the deal: Orange oil is no less toxic than many other termite eradication products we’ve had at our disposal for years. Orange oil is flammable and combustible (its flash point is 115 degrees!) and its also been considered as a bio-fuel. The magical solution to eradicating termites isn’t orange oil, it’s FINDING the termites. Eradicating termites poses many of the same difficulties that outing terrorists poses. A discussion about orange oil and killing termites would be similar to our President and Secretary of Defense having the following conversation about terrorists:
President: “I think we should employ the new stealth fighter to eradicate Al Qaeda.” Secretary of Defense: “That’s a great idea; however, I think we’d be far more effective with the B-12 bomber.” President: “Hmmm, yes, that’s a great weapon, but let’s also engage a nuclear submarine off of the coast of Yemen…just in case.”
What are they ignoring in this conversation? They don’t actually know where the terrorists are located! It is this exact problem that plagues our efforts in termite control. We can’t find the termites. I have been doing termite inspections for 18 years, on a daily basis, and any experienced termite inspector knows that it is virtually impossible to locate all of the termites in a given structure. There are no effective gizmos that assist in locating termites. Several companies have tried to develop termite scopes to locate termites, but they have not been successful because over 10,000 holes would need to be drilled in the average home. It is just not practical.The truth is that termites are easy to kill. No special oil is needed to eradicate them. A local treatment like orange oil will eliminate termites in a particular part of a piece of wood but it will NOT do anything for adjoining pieces of lumber or anything behind drywall.
As of today there is nothing that will keep termites out forever. The only method that can eradicate all of the termites in a given structure is fumigation, which is why most reputable termite companies highly recommend it. Whole-house fumigation will eliminate all of the termites in a structure without the need to locate the infestations. People often ask me, “But will termites come back after fumigation?” Yes, it’s possible for termites to someday return because there is no chemical residue remaining afterward to keep them away. In fact, nothing remains to ward them off, but the bright side is that the average house can typically go for 10-15 years between tentings without termite infestations getting large enough to create damage. If a house is sold in the interim then it may be more frequent than that. The difference between termite eradication for the purposes of selling a house and a homeowner just trying to take a proactive stance against termites is the allowable margin of error. The liabilities of not getting all of the termites during the sale of a home are far greater than simply having to refund a homeowner’s money. This is why the orange oil companies won’t do inspections for escrow.
Yes, fumigation may be a bit inconvenient and the striped tents are far from beautiful, but that’s a small price to pay for the advantages. Money is better spent on fumigation because it does not require finding the infestation first.
Detected or not, every termite will be killed during fumigation…making it the best value of any termite eradication method available. So the next time you hear the words “orange oil,” just remember that it only works on the termites that are accessible, detected and treated with the oil. Unfortunately, unless you live in a concrete slab home with 1920’s board and batten walls, then termite detection is the real issue.
Have a comment, question or suggestion? Feel free to email them to alex@877TERMITE.com or call 1-877-TERMITE / 1-877-837-6483.
Really, What's the Deal With Orange Oil??
Recent ads tout "Orange Oil" as a new "green" alternative to fumigations and conventional chemical treatments against termites. But is this a valid bio-degradable and ecological alternative or is it just another new marketing ploy? How does it compare to other insecticides and is this a truly effective and reliable termite treatment?
History and Facts: The citrus industry produces many bi-products from concentrates to compounds used in foods, cosmetics, chemicals and other areas. The rind acid of the fruit is mechanically, steamed or chemically extracted to produce d-limonene (C10H16), a hydrocarbon oil (terpene) also found in conifer and some other plants. The orange oil extract (OOE) is used as fragrance, solvents or dispersing agents found in various products from candles to paint stripper, cleaners, detergents, shampoo, sprays and some insecticides.
Pest Control and Citrus Oils: In the past most orange oil extracts were used as mild repellents against household insects such as fleas, lice, mites, ticks and mosquitoes. Lab tests show that some animals (including pets) avoid the smell and that excessive exposure can cause exoskeleton damage and death to some insects. The UC Berkeley Entomology Department is conducting a research study to determine the effectiveness of orange oil against the Subterranean and Drywood Termites native to California. Currently, only a few pest control companies in California offer orange oil treatments and given the lack of official data, the effectiveness and longevity of orange oil treatments remains unclear.
Orange Oil vs. Fumigation: According to the Structural Pest Control Board of California "orange oil is another localized treatment tool… against the elusive drywood termite. It is not an alternative to all-encompassing methods of treatment" such as fumigations (SPCB Summer 2007 Newsletter). Like Termidor, Bora-Care and Tim-Bor, orange oil treatment entails injection and/or surface treatment of infested wood members. Vikane fumigant (sulfuryl fluoride) has been researched and effectively used for decades with strict procedures and specific safety measures, all reviewed and supervised by the California Structural Pest Control Board, the Department of Pesticide Regulations and the Environment Protection Agency. To date, Orange Oil has no known State or Federal impact results on Drywood Termites, and private articles on various pests vary greatly depending on its private source or corporate sponsors. For additional comparison between orange oil and fumigation treatments check: www.ywfumigation.com/images/vs.pdf
Orange Oil vs. Other Termiticides: Like plant pyrethrins or synthetic pyrethroids, orange oil is a contact insecticide that penetrates the exoskeleton of insects leading to internal contamination and death at sufficient dosage. The orange smell also acts as repellent that many animals avoid and termites detecting the chemical will avoid treated areas and may feed on other non-treated wood members. Orange oil may stain some surfaces such as wood, sheetrock, wall covering, concrete and must be applied cautiously. Orange oil does not appear to have a chemical transfer effect from one insect to another such as in Termidor-SC (a non-repellent cholinesterase inhibitor) It also remains uncertain if orange oil's longevity is as enduring as Termidor-SC, Bora-Care or Tim-Bor (inorganic diatomaceous borate). However, as an oil based product, it penetrates the surface of wood based products fairly easily, wether injected into wood members or applied as a surface treatment.
Orange Oil & Health Hazards: As a natural bi-product, orange and citrus oil appears as an ideal "green" and biodegrable product. However, its health hazard may not be limited to pests and as its use continues to grow and becomes widespread, research and results from renound organizations such as the IPCS and EPA will to provide additional data. The strong odor of orange oil can cause some humans and pets to experience allergies and some breathing difficulties, particularly among asthmatics and citrus allergic subjects with Pantothenic Acid (or Vitamin B-5) deficiency. In doubt, consult your doctor prior to any treatment and inform your pest operator of any allergies you may have to avoid any reactions. An alternative is to use odorless products such as Tim-Bor or Termidor-SC.
Conclusion: Orange oil is not a new all encompassing miracle solution to completely erradicate all pests, including termites. It is another available insecticide that can be used in local treatments against Drywood Termites and Wood Boring Beetles. Government and independent studies by renound sources are underway to determine if its longevity and effectiveness is similar to other known Termiticides. Depending on accessibility and infestation size, Marin Termite will provide treatments using orange oil base insecticides as well Termidor-SC, Bora-Care and Tim-Bor to combat and erradicate Drywood Termites or Wood Boring Beetles.
• Orange oil, d-limonene oil extracted from orange fruit peels, is currently available as XT-2000 for localized
treatment of drywood termites.
• Efficacy of orange oil (XT-2000) for control of western drywood termite, Incisitermes minor, was evaluated in a
laboratory study of infested wood boards.
• Prior to treatment, wood boards were confirmed to be infested with live drywood termite colonies using
non-destructive detection methods: X-rays, and sensors that detect termites moving or chewing wood.
• Completely exposed boards were drilled and treated by an experienced pest control operator. Three boards were tested
per treatment; including XT-2000 (92% orange oil), water only, and untreated control.
• Holes were drilled using a “W” pattern and were spaced about 2 inches apart2 along the entire length and width of
each board.
• Each hole was injected with the treatment. The maximum volume of orange oil that could be absorbed by the wood was
injected.
• Three months after treatment, all boards were cut into small fragments to extract and count live and dead drywood
termites. Live termites were found in all treatment boards. Termite survival was high in both control treatments,
while an average of 23% of the termites survived the orange oil treatment (see table).
• These results demonstrated that even in a best case scenario with complete access to infested wood and thorough
coverage at the maximum application rate, orange oil (XT-2000) obtained only 77% control of drywood termites.
• Whole house fumigation is the most effective method documented to provide complete control of drywood termites in
structures, including colonies in areas inaccessible for localized treatment.
The Truth About Using Orange Oil for Local Termite Treatments
Think you know the truth about Orange Oil? Guess again. The media would have you believing that this glorified organic lighter fluid we know as orange oil is the best invention since sliced bread, but what the slick salesmen at the orange oil companies are not telling you is that using orange oil to eradicate termites is extremely dangerous. This citrus oil is flammable at 122 degrees! You wouldn't soak your home in gasoline to kill termites, would you?
Orange oil has never been tested with positive results and the state of California has determined that it can only be advertised with the disclaimer that it “kills on contact.”
Because orange oil only works on the principle of contact killing it DOES NOT KILL ALL TERMITES on your property. Yes, Orange oil does kill termites on contact but so do household items like olive oil and Windex. There must be contact for d-limonene (C10H16) to kill. Easier said than done. The infected wood has to be pumped full of this flammable citrus oil, and even then all the termites which can't be seen by the inspector and contacted DIRECTLY with the orange oil application will NOT be killed. With orange oil you won't get 100% assurance that all of the drywood termites in the home are eliminated. Another down side is that D-limonene also serves as a paint stripper when applied to painted wood. Any termites that did not get doused in orange oil will remain in the wood and multiply, requiring additional treatments (and paint jobs) to the property down the road.
Protect your investment and stick with the only solution proven to be 100% effective at eradicating termites from any given structure: fumigation.
