Can Citrus Oil Kill Termites?
Citrus oils offer a natural method of control in getting rid of damaging termites. Orange oil works well to control drywood termites that damage structures constructed from wood. Does this Spark an idea?
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Description
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Orange oil is extracted from from orange rinds, or peels. The oil looks like sludgy orange juice, but it's inedible. The oil contains the active ingredient d-limonene. The limonene along with the high citric acid content of the oil devastates the termites.
Termites
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Citrus oils work best to control drywood termites. Drywood termites build colonies in wood found in homes, buildings and fences. The termites primarily live along southern coastal areas of the United States, including California. Another common termite, the subterranean termite, builds its nests in the soil, so orange oil does not work to control it.
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Application
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Once the oil gets injected directly into the colony, it kills the termites and their eggs. The orange oil soaks into the surrounding wood, so some of the termites die from eating the wood if the oil does not reach them directly.
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References
Resources
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