Termidor, containing fipronil, was approved in November 2002, by the relevant Australian Government authority, for use in Australia as a treated soil barrier to control termite entry into a building or structure.

Termidor has been used in more than 600,000 homes in the USA. The US Dept of Agriculture - Forestry Service, has tested Termidor for 8 years, to date. So far, results show 100% effective termite barrier protection.
Termidor has received positive reviews from a wide cross-section of the USA pest control industry as regards it's success as an effective treated soil barrier AND a termite colony eliminator.
More recent testing of Termidor by BAYER AUSTRALIA the local manufacturer and Australian pest controllers has indicated similar results against Australian termites.

Termidor has several distinct advantages over traditional termite control products.

(1) Termidor containing fipronil is registered in Australia for treatment of soil areas under or abutting buildings or other structures. A complete Termidor treated soil barrier is designed to stop termite entry into the above buildings or structures. Dursban (chlorpyrifos), Biflex (bifenthrin) and Premise (imidacloprid) are also registered for this treated soil barrier purpose.

(2) HOWEVER, the unique aspect of Termidor for termite control is the fipronil compound also acts as a termite colony eliminator.
Termidor will readily adhere to the cuticle and exoskeleton of the termites who transport the fipronil back to the central colony nest. The termites spread the fipronil to other termites during regular physical contact, particularly when working, grooming and feeding the rest of the colony, a regular function of their daily life. The termites cannot detect the fipronil as it has no odor, no taste or smell to the termites.
It is the delayed fatal effect of Termidor that is the clever part of this new technology....allowing the contaminated termites time to spread the fipronil throughout the colony, before it's deadly effect is known. Termites cannibilse other dead termites, further spreading the effect. A termite colony will spiral to collapse if they continue to forage in the Termidor treated soil barrier.
CONSUMER NOTE: If you have termites in your property discuss the problem with the neighbours. Obviously, several homes in close proximity, with have a Termidor treated soil barrier, will greatly increase the chances of termite colony elimination, for all concerned. Destuctive subterranean termites have a foraging territory of more than a 100 meter radius from the central colony nest. A large nest may contain over a million termites.
In the USA and Australian testing of Termidor, to date, termite colony elimination results have been outstanding.... widespread reports indicate termite colony elimination can be expected for buildings under heavy termite infestation within a few weeks.
Indications are that even buildings under moderate to low termite infestation, termite colony elimination can be expected within a few months, at the most. These results are better than anything offered by any other termite baiting system.
In addition, the Termidor treated soil barrier should remain effective for at least 8 years, provided it is correctly applied at the rate required by the registered label on the concentrate container. There is no other soil barrier chemical meeting these performance expectations from the Australian pest control industry.
Termidor is more expensive than the alternatives, so beware of unscrupulous companies that may under dose the required application rate in order to cut costs, which will lower the level of protection neccessary.

Termidor - fipronil - a safety orientated product

Safety wise, Termidor as applied to the soil areas abutting a building, is of low toxicity to people and pets. Unlike some alternatives, Termidor is odour free, and does not contain solvents or any other substances that may lead to indoor air contamination. Termidor also binds tightly to the soil, so there's no leaching through rainfall or irrigation.

Fipronil is classified as a schedule 5 "CAUTION" product by the Australian Government National Registration Authority for such chemicals. This confirms fipronil is of low toxicity to mammals, such as humans, dogs, cats, etc. In fact, fipronil, has been used in the USA for many years for flea and tick control on millions of cats and dogs.

Termidor is fully approved by the USA Environment Protection Agency and Australian Government authorities.

World leading termite control product ...extensively tested

Before Termidor was made available for use in the USA it was subject to some of the toughest tests in history. For 8 years, so far, the USA Forest Service has conducted Termidor ground board and concrete slab trials in four US states involving a variety of climatic, soil types and environmental circumstances. Under heavy termite activity Termidor at every location, provided 100% effective termite protection .... and is still going strong after 8 years.
Termidor is owned by Aventis, the world's largest pharmaceutical and environmental science company, formed through the merger of Hoechst, AgrEvo and Rhone-Poulenc, with global sales exceeding $30 billion.
Aventis claim to have proven that transfer of fipronil by termites to other termites, based upon their research using C14 radio labeled fipronil on live termites.
Although the effect of Termidor on individual termites is intentionally delayed, the overall colony elimination process is significantly faster than other baiting systems.
Testing by the US Dept of Agriculture - Forestry Service at various sites around the USA, and other University field trials in homes in the USA indicates the transfer effect occurs. In some cited cases a Termidor treated soil barrier was applied and termites were also eliminated in nearby infested areas not so treated, such as, in nearby trees and/or buildings.

TERMIDOR .... the on-going termite colony eliminator

As with any termite control program, your property always remains susceptible to future attack from new termite colonies or other established colonies in your area. The good news for the home owner is that the Termidor fipronil soil treatment chemical will remain in place even after the existing attack on your property has been eliminated. As noted above, in continuing USA tests show even after 8 years the Termidor treated soil remains 100% termite control effective.
In brief, Termidor treated soil acts on as an ongoing basis to prevent termite entry through a treated soil area into a building, whilst acting as an eliminator of other colonies that become active in the treated soil barrier around protected buildings or structures. Your home is a pretty big target for them to hit !
The Termidor fipronil product works quite differently from other termiticide active ingredients. Most other termiticides are repellents, which means they keep termites away from a treated area, rather than killing them. This means a gap in the barrier is more easily detected by the termites, a major short-coming of the old-fashioned termite control alternatives.
Termidor is lethal to termites when they ingest it as they tunnel directly into the highly concentrated areas of the treated soil barrier. Termites ingesting soil or humus in soil areas of high fipronil concentration, will die within a few days. Enough time to transport the fipronil back to the central colony to feed the other termites in the colony - the king and queen, the baby termites "nymphs", soldiers, winged alates and worker termites. Termites will also cannibalise other dead termites, further spreading the fipronil throughout the colony.
Unlike all other termiticides, Termidor is even a more effecient killer by body contact with the fipronil, which readily adheres to the termite's fine "waxy" exoskeleton and carried back to the central colony nest. The fipronil is designed to absorb through the exoskeleton (a thin shell) to immobilse "mesmorise" the termite within a few days. The delayed accumulative lethal effect represents a new style of termite control technology.... the termite colony's trojan horse carrying a silver bullet....in effect!

Your Termidor Termite Control Program

The first step in a Termidor termite control program is a thorough professional inspection of your property by a competent termite control inspector, in accordance with Australian Standard 3660.
Your termite control inspector should then determine the extent and nature of the threat to your property and recommend exactly where the Termidor should be applied to soil areas of potential termite entry into a building or structure, including poles and stumps in the ground.
Termidor comes at a premium price due to the large-scale research, development and efficacy testing costs in bringing it to the market place. The cost of a Termidor Termite Control Program will depend on the size and design of the subject building, the extent of the infestation, the risk of further attack and on-going termite activity and other environmental factors.
The success of a Termidor termite control soil application depends heavily on the skill and experience of your termite control specialist. Termidor is more expensive than the alternatives, so beware of "dodgy" companies that under cut the required application rate in order to cut costs, which will lower the level of protection neccessary.