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Termites are devastating pests for any home that has a wooden frame. Termites are hive insects like ants, but contrary to common perception, they're only distantly related to ants - while the latter share kinship with wasps, a fact that can be seen easily by comparing the anatomy of a wasp and ant, termites belong to the same order as cockroaches, having evolved a highly social nature independently. There are an estimated 4000 species, and a tenth of those are relentless xylophages that cause great economic damage to commercial and residential structures, and termite control is a huge undertaking in most countries in the world. Today, most buildings are built with barriers between soil and wooden elements, to prevent infiltration by termites. Termite pest control for older buildings, ones without barriers, typically involves treating the soil around it with pesticide to create a poisonous barrier against the insects.

Prevention and treatment of termite infestations requires both the qualification to handle poisonous substances and enough knowledge to do a comprehensive job and deny the pests any entry. While DIY pest control may be an attractive option for home owners who want to save money, in the case of termites, it's unlikely to be effective unless applied by professionals.

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