Table 1 summarizes the test results for all tested products. A termiticide should not be selected solely on the number of years of effective life. Longevity is only one component of an effective soil termiticide. To some people, low odor is an important factor in selecting a product. Most of the products on the market today result in little odor during and following application.
Some people are able to detect odors of some formulations of chlorpyrifos following an application.
This more likely to occur if the application is made to wet soils. Another characteristic of termiticides is repellency. Pyrethroid insecticides, such as bifenthrin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate, and permethrin, are highly repellent to most insects, including termites. Because of this, termites rarely enter the treated zone long enough to be killed by the insecticide. Other products are less repellent and kill most termites that enter the treatment barrier.