Termites are found living in house areas like bedrooms, bathrooms, furniture, walls especially if located near forests or gardens. They are mostly attracted to woods and take shelter in it. More importantly, they do a great deal of damage to the wood and can cause a huge loss.
So, precautionary measures have to be taken to deter termites.
Cedar attract or repel termites
Due to the presence of antimicrobial and neurotoxic chemicals, cedar works as a great termites repellent. Moreover, the pungent scent of cedar irritates their olfactory receptors that sends an alarming signal. They can’t inhale the smell for too long which eventually results in deterring termites.
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If termites are found in a house area, they need to be repelled as soon as possible or they damage the furniture. If you want to deter termites cost free, natural repellents will be great.
Cedar is known as an effective insect repellent that repels bugs, mosquitoes, insects and even termites. Though termites are wood lovers, they don’t like cedar at all due to its pungent smell.
Actually, cedar releases a distinctive smell which is highly irritating to termites. Due to the presence of chemical properties and essential oil, the smell is so acute.
The neuro chemical alpha-thujone doesn’t only produce the overpowering smell but also it hampers body functionality of termites and harms their breeding system.
In fact, cedar releases the toxic component resin which is very harmful to their growth and they even tend to avoid it for its taste. However, termites find it very difficult to chew because it’s hardwood which makes it an excellent termites repellent.
From cedar wood to wood chips, essential oil, mulch every part has the ability to deter termites.
Cedar wood:
As the cedar wood contains resin and many other chemical properties, it can deter termites. Normally, termites find wood trees very much attractive but for the pungent smell coming from the cedar wood, they tend to dislike it.
Termites mostly love soft woods but as cedar wood is a hard wood due to presence of resin, termites find it unpleasant and quite difficult to chew. If termites have other options, they normally avoid cedar wood.
Cedar oil:
Cedar is known as an antimicrobial or insecticide due to its essential oil. Cedar oil can be used separately or as a spray mixing with other essential oils or vinegar to deter termites. If applied in a long term basis with a proper way, it efficiently works as a termites repellent.
Cedar chips:
Cedar chips also carry the acute smell of essential oil. In the rainy season when the cedar chips become wet, they produce a more distinct smell that sends a signal to termites’ nerves to avoid the place.
Cedar mulch:
Cedar mulch also helps to minimize termites by making a good resistance due to the presence of resin and a chemical element called Thujone.
Cedar smoke:
When cedar is burnt, the smell is spread in the area and termites can detect the smell from a distance. In fact, termites find the smell excessively repulsive that They can’t stand the smell and go away.
Do termites get in cedar?
Cedars are hardwoods that contain some toxic elements, such as resin and an alpha-thujone-like element, which are more prevalent in the center of the cedar than in its periphery.
As a result, when termites want to enter the cedar, they can not do so easily because the center contains more chemical components and the resin-like material generally prevents their entry.
But termites can typically enter the peripheral portion of the cedarwood because this portion has fewer chemical components than the core of the cedar.
We may conclude that termites typically cannot enter cedarwood, but if they can, they would only do so at the periphery of the cedar. However, occasionally it is observed that termites only eat the surface portion of cedar, not the core.
Termites are typically deterred from entering cedar primarily in its core by the oily compounds that cedar typically produces, although they can enter relatively at the surface.
Why do termites not like cedar?
Termites are claimed to be affected by the resin released from cedar trees. A molecule called alpha thujone which is present in cedar, also produces an odor that greatly aggravates termites.
In addition, termites find cedar to be unpleasant to the taste, and as cedar is not appealing to them, they tend to flee from areas where cedar wood, its oil, or cedar spray are present.
Cedar is used to ward off termites because it has numerous anti-termite repellent properties, and termites loathe it due to its potent, irritating smell.
Presence of pungent smell:
Termites are repelled mostly by cedar’s intense smell since it encompasses some harmful chemical elements. They also find the taste to be unpleasant because it contains a resin-like material.
Produces toxicity:
Another reason termites dislike cedar is because it has harmful effects on them. Termites dislike cedar because it releases an oily material that is harmful to them and causes toxic effects in their bodies when they eat it.
Additionally, termites are deterred by the presence of cedar, cedar mulch, and other things that contain cedar oil. Due to cedar’s potent anti-termite and repellant properties, termites typically do not adore it.
As a result, cedar is used in numerous ways to ward off termites.
How to use cedar to repel termites?
Termites are greatly deterred by cedar oil, mulch, and spray. Other essential oils, such as clove oil and citronella oil, can be added to increase its effectiveness.
Alternatively, you can create a solution by mixing garlic powder with cedar wood powder or cedar oil to increase its repellent properties. When put into a suspension with water and either its oil or powder, cedar is particularly effective.
Termites can be easily repelled in a short period of time by combining cedar oil with an egg or vinegar. Termites are sensitive to strong smells, and cedar wood or its oil emit strong odors.
By combining other natural ingredients with this quality of cedar, termites can be easily repelled. Another efficient way is to combine mint, basil, or neem leaves with cedar.
Adding cedar wood oil or its powder to other oils:
First, place cedar wood oil or its powder in a clean bottle. Then, add other strong-smelling oils like citronella or lavender oil, rosemary oil in the proper quantity, and two thirds of water. Gently shake the bottle, then leave it for a few hours to allow the oils to properly infuse. The areas where termites tend to gather can be sprayed with this mixture.
Garlic powder with cedar oil:
Garlic is a potent scent with anti-termite properties. It can be used in cedar, either with cedar oil or cedar wood powder, and it can be made into a solution using water, which will ward off the destructive termites.
If there are more termites present, you must spray the area more regularly.
Cedar spray:
Cedar oil or powder, water, eggs, and liquid dishwashing are the only ingredients needed for the termite-repellent cedar spray.
You need to mix two to three spoons of dishwash with one to four drops of cedar oil or powder in a brand-new spray bottle before adding water to fill the remaining two thirds of the bottle and shaking the mixture thoroughly before using.
Simply spraying this solution can help to discourage termites because they dislike strong scents like this, and it will keep them away for a while.
What is the best wood to prevent termites?
The best wood for preventing termites is wood that is naturally very hard and has effective anti-termite properties. The two woods that are best for preventing termites are cedar and redwood.
Termites can not easily eat through or enter cedar, redwood, or teak wood due to their density and hardness. Additionally, termites are repulsed anytime they try to go near the oily fluid that comes from cedar or redwood trees due to its repelling qualities.
Like cedar and redwoods, teak is naturally durable; hence, teak wood is also a preferred option for preventing termite entry or being destroyed by termites.
Termites occasionally eat cedar or redwood outer surfaces, which is less dense than the core.
But in general, because of its hardness and the release of resin materials or the presence of an alpha thujone component, termites can’t easily eat or get into its center portion, making these woods effective termite preventers.
Final Thoughts
Cedar is well known as a significant termites repellent for its distinctive fragrance that termites can’t stand for too long and leave the place. In fact, the chemical compounds that are released from cedar, harms their nerve system, olfactory receptors, body functionality and breeding system.