Lori, check with your county extension agent for positive identification (termites and some ants look a lot alike) as well as for recommendations of what to use. This is a serious issue because of the extensive and expensive damage termites can do to your home and the chemicals used are usually pretty potent. Good luck.

Thanks Sandy.

We had termites, and had to have the full-house treatment. I would highly recommend contacting a termite inspection company that doesn't do the bait method, and get their opinion, and an inspection if it turns out to be termites. A good way to find a local reputable company is to ask realtor friends.

Thanks Pianolady.

Orange oil termite treatment is a great option that minimizes harm to the surrounding ecosystem.

ohbugger,

That sounds interesting, but I didn't find anything impartial that sounded that conclusive. It also sounds like it's for drywood termites which I believe are south of where I am.

Thank you though.

One of the best natural ways to kill termites is to attack them at their nest. You can use vinegar, either in its pure form or diluted in a 50/50 mixture with water. Try to pour vinegar every now and then. Repeated applications can be effective in preventing infestations.

Thanks JordanWalker.

Borax is an ingredient in a lot of termite and carpenter ant treatments. It's applied as a solution to the wood but I would imagine you could sprinkle some old fashioned powdered borax around the mound.

If you want the treatment a popular brand is Boracare.

Thanks jcalhoun. It looks like borax is about as safe a chemical for this as I'll find but there are some questions about it's safety around animals. I would probably try vinegar first and go on to borax. Per my husband we don't really have a mound, they're hiding underground and now we''re not quite sure where to get them. It's too bad I didn't know these possibilities when we actually saw some when we were digging planting holes.

Lori

You're welcome.