Termites are a big problem for all of us in Wichita, from different companies and industrial spaces to individual homes and apartments. They are certainly persistent and troublesome little things. Once they get into any structure, it is important to act quickly and go to great lengths to deal with them. Most of the time, it requires a lot of man power and an extremely powerful pesticide that is injected by an exterminator into the soil surrounding the building – and that usually takes care of the problem.

Now, we try to use the safest tools possible so as not to harm anyone or anything, but many still use those powerful pesticides. However, it seems like others are following our lead and trying to get a greener, safer approach to infestations: In the article, “Purdue researcher aids termite gene mapping,” Jeremy Ervin of Jconline.com writes, “Now that a team of international researchers has sequenced the genome of the Nevada dampwood termite, less toxic control may not be too far behind, according to a Purdue University entomologist who collaborated on the study.”

This is going to be a huge breakthrough for our industry. By understanding termite genes and functions, we will be better equipped to determine what effect pesticides and other exterminating techniques have on them. This opens the door for even safer forms of pesticides and exterminators! It will be a new day!