How Do Termites Kill Plants?
WouterTermites love to dig into soil and find moisture. They begin by eating the bark of plants’ roots, then work their way up the stems and into the central portions of the plant. They then eat the cellulose in the woody part of the plant.
If you want to get rid of termites without harming your plants, you can use some common products. Some of these include vinegar, orange oil and boric acid. However, if you plan to keep your houseplants, it’s best to avoid using these. Rather, try to use insect growth regulators to prevent undeveloped insects from developing into adults.
Insect growth regulators are safe, but they aren’t effective at killing all termites. If you are looking for a more effective solution, consider using nematodes. These are microscopic organisms that kill hundreds of common household pests. They are also natural.
Termites will eat the roots of herbaceous plants, but won’t eat flowers. They may attack fruit trees as well. You can protect your garden from this annoyance by crop rotation.
One of the easiest ways to kill termites naturally is to spray your plants with orange oil. The oil contains D-limonene, which is a pest-control substance. It will destroy the insect’s exoskeleton.
Alternatively, you can inject neem seeds or pounded neem leaves into your trees. However, this does not attract the termite predators. In addition, scented geraniums do not offer a strong enough barrier to keep termites at bay.
