Termiticides compared: active ingredients and treatment types

Termites these products target

Eastern Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes spp. (shown: R. flavipes) Subterranean termites live in the soil and travel into buildings through earthen shelter tubes; they are the most destructive termites in most of the United States and usually warrant a professional. Formosan Subterranean Termite Coptotermes formosanus The Formosan subterranean termite is an invasive species from East Asia and one of the most aggressive and economically damaging termites in the world; its colonies are much larger than those of native subterranean termites. EPA lists it among the less common termites in the U.S., behind the native subterranean termite. Western Drywood Termite Incisitermes minor Drywood termites live entirely inside wood without needing soil contact; the western drywood termite is California's second most important termite pest after subterranean termites. Clemson Extension says drywood termites get the moisture they need from humid air and are most common along humid coastal areas of South Carolina.

Termiticide active ingredients by class

EPA calls the pesticides used to prevent or treat termite infestations termiticides, and registers them only after they show they can protect a structure; it also requires a minimum number of years of proven effectiveness. The approved kinds are liquid soil-applied termiticides, termite baits, building materials impregnated with termiticides, and wood treatments.^[6]

The groups below use the mode-of-action numbers of the Insecticide Resistance Action Committee (IRAC), which sorts insecticides by the target they act on in the insect. Ingredients in the same group work the same way.^[13]

• Fipronil (phenylpyrazole; IRAC group 2B, GABA-gated chloride channel blockers): kills insects that eat or touch it by disrupting the central nervous system. NPIC lists liquid termite control products among its uses, and UC IPM and Kentucky name it as a non-repellent soil termiticide.^{[9][13][1][2]}
• Imidacloprid (neonicotinoid; IRAC group 4A, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor competitive modulators): damages the insect nervous system after it is eaten. It is a non-repellent soil termiticide. NPIC says it can last months or years in soil and may leach from soil into groundwater under some conditions.^{[10][13][1][2]}
• Acetamiprid (neonicotinoid, IRAC group 4A, the same group as imidacloprid): on EPA's list of the most common active ingredients in conventional termiticides.^[6][13]
• Chlorantraniliprole (diamide; IRAC group 28, ryanodine receptor modulators): activates muscle ryanodine receptors, leading to contraction and paralysis. UC IPM says it is non-repellent to termites and has been shown to kill them at low dosage rates under California's climatic conditions.^[13][1][2]
• Chlorfenapyr (pyrrole; IRAC group 13, uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation): also on EPA's list of common conventional termiticide active ingredients.^[6][13]
• Pyrethroids (IRAC group 3A, sodium channel modulators): EPA's list includes bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, esfenvalerate and permethrin. They keep sodium channels in nerves open. NPIC says bifenthrin binds tightly to soil, so it is not likely to reach groundwater, but soil-bound bifenthrin can reach surface water in runoff. UC IPM says the repellent termiticides were usually pyrethroids.^{[6][13][11][1]}
• Bait ingredients: EPA lists diflubenzuron, hexaflumuron, lufenuron and noviflumuron, which are benzoylureas in IRAC group 15 (inhibitors of chitin biosynthesis), and hydramethylnon (IRAC group 20, mitochondrial complex III electron transport inhibitors). EPA notes hexaflumuron was the first active ingredient registered as a reduced-risk pesticide.^[6][13]
• Borates (IRAC group 8D, which includes disodium octaborate): EPA says they are commonly sprayed on wood during new home construction. NC State says disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) goes on structural wood in the crawl space and framing of a house under construction, but termites may bypass it and attack nearby untreated wood such as baseboard molding and trim. Texas lists borate products among spot treatments for drywood termites.^{[6][13][14][15]}
• Sulfuryl fluoride (IRAC group 8C): a colorless, odorless gas and a restricted use pesticide. EPA says it is the only structural fumigant with residential uses, and chloropicrin must be released first in residential fumigations as a warning agent. UC IPM says it kills drywood termites within several days.^[7][13][4]

Repellent vs non-repellent

Kentucky Extension says research has shown that barrier products that are non-repellent and lethal to termites tend to be the most reliable. Termites that tunnel into soil treated with a non-repellent product are killed, while repellent products turn them away without a lethal dose.^[3][2][1]

Sources differ on whether repellent products are still used. UC IPM says termiticide products with repellent active ingredients have been phased out, and Kentucky says most former liquid termiticides were repellent. EPA's termite page, updated in 2026, still lists bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, esfenvalerate and permethrin among the most common active ingredients in conventional termiticides.^[1][2][6]

Either way, ask which active ingredient a company plans to use, and read its label: EPA says the label tells exactly how the product is to be used and lists its potential risks.^[6]

Liquid soil termiticides

A liquid termiticide is injected into the soil along and under the foundation to create a treated zone. A typical job may use hundreds of gallons.^[2][1]

Older repellent products, usually pyrethroids, kept termites out without killing them and have been phased out of termiticide use. Current non-repellent active ingredients such as fipronil, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole kill termites that tunnel through treated soil at low doses.^[1][2]

All liquid termiticides are supposed to control termites for at least five years when applied according to label directions; results depend on the product, thoroughness and local conditions.^[2][6]

Wells, cisterns, nearby water, sub-slab heating ducts, drainage systems or inaccessible crawl spaces can make a liquid treatment hard or impossible to do properly.^[3][2]

Bait systems

Stations are installed in the ground around the house, typically 10 to 15 feet apart, and checked on a schedule from monthly to annually depending on the product and company.^[3]

Termites that eat the bait share it with the colony and die within weeks while trying to molt; the most effective baits use insect growth regulators and are professional-only.^[3][1][6]

The slow action is deliberate. If a bait killed quickly, sick or dead termites could pile up near the stations and others would avoid them; delayed action also lets the insecticide reach nest mates that never fed on the bait. NPIC says insect growth regulators don't kill insects immediately and can stop young insects from developing to the next stage.^[3][12]

Because termites must first find the stations, elimination can take several months or longer; stations must stay in place and be monitored, since termites from neighboring colonies can move in later.^[3]

Baits suit buildings that are hard to treat with liquids, homes where liquids failed, and owners who want fewer pesticides applied; the technician often doesn't need to come indoors.^[3]

Drywood termites

Whole-structure fumigation treats all infestations in a building, including hidden ones, but occupants must leave for several days and there is no lasting residue.^[4][7]

Whole-structure heat brings wood to at least 120°F for at least 33 minutes; it takes hours instead of days, but large beams can be hard to heat thoroughly.^[4]

Spot treatments with liquids, dusts or foams work best when the colony is accessible and accurately located, and can miss hidden infestations.^[4]

Fumigation and heat don't work on subterranean termites, whose colonies are in the soil.^[1]

Labels, rates and safety

This page doesn't give mixing or application rates, because they belong to each product's label. A professional soil termiticide label, for example, sets the finished-dilution strengths, the gallons to apply per 10 linear feet per foot of depth along a foundation and the minimum volumes under slabs, and it forbids applying less. Using a product in a way that doesn't follow its labeling is a violation of federal law.^[5][6]

EPA says a product whose label has no directions to control termites and protect the structure is not meant for that job and shouldn't be applied. Products that only claim to kill termites kill the termites that touch them, not the whole infestation.^[6]

• Ask for the label before the job. In Texas the company must give you a copy of the termiticide label before treating, and EPA suggests asking the company representative for one wherever you live.^[15][6]
• Re-entry: how soon you can go back inside varies by product and is on the label. Make sure the applicator tells you.^[6]
• Safety: EPA says many termiticides are highly toxic, which is why the label directions matter. Kentucky says registered termiticides pose no significant hazard to people, pets or the environment when applied according to label directions.^[6][2]
• No yearly re-treatment without termites: NC State says annual treatments without evidence of termite activity are illegal under most termiticide labels.^[14]
• Doing it yourself: Kentucky says retail products seldom eradicate an existing termite problem, UC IPM says do-it-yourself termite pesticides are generally not effective, and NC State notes that few homeowners have the equipment to mix and apply large quantities safely. NPIC adds that some termiticides can only be used by trained and licensed professionals.^{[2][1][14][8]}
• Problems or questions: report a suspected misapplication to your state pesticide regulatory agency. NPIC's hotline, 1-800-858-7378, answers questions about product use and health effects.^[6][8]

Choosing a treatment

Identify the termite before choosing a treatment: control techniques differ for drywood, dampwood and subterranean termites, and baits suit some buildings that are hard to treat with liquids. The treatment options guide linked below compares liquids, baits, fumigation and heat by situation and covers company proposals and warranties; this page sticks to what is in the products.^[8][3]

Common questions

Is a liquid treatment or a bait system better?

Both can work. Liquids act faster; baits suit hard-to-treat buildings and owners who want fewer pesticides, but take longer and need ongoing monitoring. Many firms combine them.^[3][2]

Can I buy a professional termiticide and treat the house myself?

Not the professional soil products: one fipronil termiticide label restricts sale, use and storage to people or firms licensed or registered by the state. Retail termite products exist, but Kentucky says they seldom eradicate an existing infestation.^[5][2]

Which termiticides are non-repellent?

UC IPM and Kentucky name fipronil, imidacloprid and chlorantraniliprole. Termites that tunnel into soil treated with them are killed.^[1][2]

Why doesn't this page list mixing rates?

Rates are product-specific and set by each label, which also forbids applying less than the labeled amount. Ask the company for the label of the product it plans to use.^[5][6][15]

Do termite baits use the same chemicals as liquid treatments?

No. EPA's list of common bait active ingredients (diflubenzuron, hexaflumuron, hydramethylnon, lufenuron, noviflumuron) is separate from its list for conventional liquid termiticides. Most bait ingredients disrupt growth and act slowly.^[6][3][13]

Sources

1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Subterranean and Other Termites, Publication 7415 (May 2014).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pntermites.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
2. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-604: Termite Control: Answers for Homeowners (revised March 2026).” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef604 (accessed 2026-11-10)
3. University of Kentucky Entomology, “ENTFACT-639: Termite Baits: A Guide for Homeowners.” entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef639 (accessed 2026-11-10)
4. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Pest Notes: Drywood Termites, Publication 7440 (August 2014).” ipm.ucanr.edu/legacy_assets/PDF/PESTNOTES/pndrywoodtermites.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
5. U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Termidor SC Termiticide/Insecticide label, EPA Reg. No. 7969-210 (EPA-stamped, Apr. 30, 2024).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/007969-00210-20240430.pdf (accessed 2026-11-10)
6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Termites: How to Identify and Control Them.” www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/termites-how-identify-and-control-them (accessed 2026-11-10)
7. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Sulfuryl Fluoride.” www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/sulfuryl-fluoride (accessed 2026-11-10)
8. National Pesticide Information Center, “Termites.” npic.orst.edu/pest/termite.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
9. National Pesticide Information Center, “Fipronil General Fact Sheet.” npic.orst.edu/factsheets/fipronil.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
10. National Pesticide Information Center, “Imidacloprid General Fact Sheet.” npic.orst.edu/factsheets/imidagen.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
11. National Pesticide Information Center, “Bifenthrin General Fact Sheet.” npic.orst.edu/factsheets/bifgen.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
12. National Pesticide Information Center, “Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs).” npic.orst.edu/ingred/ptype/igr.html (accessed 2026-11-10)
13. Insecticide Resistance Action Committee, “IRAC Mode of Action Classification Scheme, Version 11.5 (Feb. 2026).” irac-online.org/documents/moa-classification/ (accessed 2026-11-10)
14. NC State Extension, “Termites: Biology and Control.” content.ces.ncsu.edu/termites-biology-and-control (accessed 2026-11-10)
15. Texas Department of Agriculture, “Termite FAQs (Structural Pest Control Service).” texasagriculture.gov/Regulatory-Programs/Pesticides/Structural-Pest-Control-Service/Termite-Fumigation-Applications/Termite-FAQs (accessed 2026-11-10)